{getToc} $title={Table of Contents}
The Library Card summary and four level analysis
About the Author Richard Wright
Richard Wright (1908-1960) is an African- American writer. He
is one of the influential novelists, short story as well as non-fictional
writers. Most of the works are about racism i.e. black and white people in
America.
Summary of The Library Card by Richard Wright
The Library Card is an autobiographical story. The story
focuses on the importance of education that helps us understand ourselves,
others, the mysteries of the world, and the essence of life. Moreover, it shows
the racial discrimination between the white and the black people in America.
Once, the writer read a newspaper editorial in the lobby of a
bank. The writer is negro (black). He found the article about H.L. Mencken.
H.L. Mencken was a popular white writer. Mencken was badly denounced (hated) by
the white people. The writer had never read such a bitter criticism to the
white writer by the white race. It was because the boy had had a bitter
experience of social and color discrimination. White people had never shown any
sympathy for the black. Rather black people were taken as out-castes or
animals. Therefore, Richard Wright was curious to know the reason for their
hatred of Mencken. So, he was highly inspired to read Mencken's books. He
wanted to go to the library to get the books by Mencken.
During the time, blacks were deprived of their rights,
freedom, education, equality, justice, and other opportunities. They were not
permitted to use the library. Being black, the writer didn't have a library
card of his own. He started serving many white men by collecting books from the
library thinking that he could get a chance to use a library card.
One day, the writer's boss Mr. Falk, an Irish Catholic, gave
him his two library cards. He warned the boy (writer) to use the card properly
so that he would not get in trouble. However, the white librarian refused to
lend the books without the permission letter of the owner of the cards. Anyway,
the boy used his creative mind and forged a note i.e. the white man's name on
the card, and collected books from the library.
The writer firstly read "Prefaces" and
"Prejudices" by Mencken. Initially, because of his limited knowledge
and poor English, he could not understand the books. However, he soon realized
that words could be more powerful than any weapons. He returned those books and
borrowed the other ones. His reading helped him to understand more about life
and people. He became quite intelligent. He realized the sufferings of slaves,
suppression, and oppression of cruel law by the white against the black. The
hatred of the white men arose bitter feelings in his conscious mind and heart.
Finally, he became a successful writer and scholar to fight against racial
discrimination and prejudices of the whites over blacks in America.
Application of four levels of The Library Card
Literal Comprehension of The Library Card
As a Negro boy, the writer worked in the lower post of a
white office. One day, he read the editorial part of the newspaper and found
out that the white popular writer Mencken had been criticized by the white
race.
Since he had the bitter experience of white domination over
black, he was eager to read and know the books by Mencken. Being black, he was
not given a library card. So, he started working on collecting books about
white men so that he guessed that he could get a library card. Fortunately, one
day his boss Mr. Falk provided him with two library cards. Then the writer went
to the library but the white librarian refused to lend the book without the
permission of the original cardholder.
Then, he forged the card and placed white's name and
signature, so that he borrowed two books by Mencken. Initially, he faced many
difficulties to understand the themes of the books but gradually his reading
got progressed. Now he was habituated to reading more and more books. He
understood himself, and others and became conscious of how black people are
discriminated against, oppressed, and dominated by the whites in America.
Finally, he became one of the renowned black writers and
scholars to fight against white domination and cruel behavior over blacks in
America.
Interpretation of The Library Card
The story "Library Card" clearly states the
importance of education. Human beings are no better than other animals without
education. Social, cultural, and economical problems, politics, freedom,
justice, and discrimination. inequality and subordination can be known by
getting an education. In addition, this story talks about the racial
discrimination in America where blacks are deprived of rights, education,
justice, and equality. But it also teaches us that where there is a will, there
is a way.
The writer struggles much to reading the books and finally
becomes a successful writer and scholar understanding himself, others, and the
essence of life.
Critical Thinking of The Library Card
The story ‘The Library Card’ highlights the supreme value of
education assuming that book is the source of knowledge and life is understood
by the possession of knowledge.
Richard Wright is from ordinary Negro who becomes a
successful writer and critic by reading several books. Similarly, this story
realistically represents the racial discrimination, injustices, and prejudices
by whites against blacks in America. However, some ideas in the story are less
convincing and more controversial. If the Negro boy was uneducated and ignorant,
how could he read the newspaper editorial critically? How could he forge the
letter exactly if he was suppressed and exploited by the whites?
Assimilation of The Library Card
The Library Card has greatly influenced me. I have come to
know that delight gained from knowledge (education) is much worthier than the
delight gained from money (wealth).
In fact, education helps us understand ourselves, others, the
mysteries of the world, and the essence of life. One can be successful to know
about justice, freedom, and equality through the possession of education. So, I
am highly impressed by this text and determined to continue my further
education.
|
Also read |
Summarize the plot of the Library Card in one sentence.
Richard Wright as a Negro boy struggles a lot to study the
books by Mencken and other many books so that he understands how black people
are enslaved, dominated, and exploited by the whites and becomes a successful
critic and writer to fight against cruel behavior, injustice, inequality and
domination exercised by whites over black people in America.
Retell the plot of "Library Card" in a single paragraph.
As a Negro boy, the writer works in the lower white's office.
One day, he reads a newspaper editorial in the lobby of a bank and finds out
that H. L. Mencken is a popular white writer who has been criticized by the
white community. The writer is eager to know and read the books by Mencken. Since
he is black having no library card, it is a very challenging task for him to
borrow books of Mencken from the library. However, he struggles a lot, and one
day his boss Mr. Falk gives him a library card. Then, he forges the card and
collects the books of Mencken. As he starts reading the books, he realizes that
words are more powerful than weapons. So, he is eager to read many books. Finally,
he realizes that black people are bitterly behaved by whites. He becomes quite
an intelligent, critic, and successful writer in fighting against white
domination and cruel manner toward blacks in America, by gaining knowledge, or
education. So, this story shows the supreme value of education in our life.