A memoir ( / ˈ m ɛ m . w ɑːr / ; from French mémoire [me.mwaʁ] , from Latin memoria 'memory, remembrance') is any nonfiction narrative writing based on the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobiography since the late 20th century, the genre is differentiated in form, presenting a narrowed focus, usually a particular time phase in someone's life or career. A biography or autobiography tells the story "of a life", while a memoir often tells the story of a particular career, event, or time, such as touchstone moments and turning points in the author's life. The author of a memoir may be referred to as a memoirist or a memorialist .
90-686: Black Boy (1945) is a memoir by American author Richard Wright , detailing his upbringing. Wright describes his youth in the South: Mississippi , Arkansas and Tennessee , and his eventual move to Chicago , where he establishes his writing career and becomes involved with the Communist Party . Black Boy gained high acclaim in the United States because of Wright's honest and profound depiction of racism in America. While
180-425: A broken bone ), air, cancer cells or clumps of bacteria (usually from infectious endocarditis ). Because an embolus arises from elsewhere, local therapy solves the problem only temporarily. Thus, the source of the embolus must be identified. Because the embolic blockage is sudden in onset, symptoms are usually maximal at the start. Also, symptoms may be transient as the embolus is partially resorbed and moves to
270-459: A physical exam and supported by medical imaging such as a CT scan or MRI scan . A CT scan can rule out bleeding, but may not necessarily rule out ischemia, which early on typically does not show up on a CT scan. Other tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood tests are done to determine risk factors and possible causes. Low blood sugar may cause similar symptoms. Prevention includes decreasing risk factors, surgery to open up
360-444: A complete blockage of one of the carotid arteries, the risk of stroke on that side is about one percent per year. A special form of embolic stroke is the embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). This subset of cryptogenic stroke is defined as a non-lacunar brain infarct without proximal arterial stenosis or cardioembolic sources. About one out of six cases of ischemic stroke could be classified as ESUS. Cerebral hypoperfusion
450-441: A different location or dissipates altogether. Emboli most commonly arise from the heart (especially in atrial fibrillation ) but may originate from elsewhere in the arterial tree. In paradoxical embolism , a deep vein thrombosis embolizes through an atrial or ventricular septal defect in the heart into the brain. Causes of stroke related to the heart can be distinguished between high- and low-risk: Among those who have
540-615: A genre of their own, including, from the First World War , Ernst Jünger ( Storm of Steel ) and Frederic Manning 's Her Privates We . Memoirs documenting incarceration by Nazi Germany during the war include Primo Levi 's If This Is a Man , which covers his arrest as a member of the Italian Resistance Movement , followed by his life as a prisoner in Auschwitz ; and Elie Wiesel 's Night , which
630-575: A grim picture of race relations in America. On 1945, Theodore G. Bilbo denounced this book on the floor of the Senate , describing this book as "obsene" and aiming to excite Blacks against Whites, closing his statement with a "but it comes from a Negro, and you cannot expect any better from a person of his type." In 1972, Black Boy was banned in Michigan schools after parents found the content to be overly sexual and generally unsuitable for teens. In 1975,
720-629: A hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook. In June 1944, the Book of the Month Club expressed an interest in only "Part One: Southern Night." In response, Wright agreed to eliminate the Chicago section, and in August, he renamed the shortened book as Black Boy. Harper and Brothers published it under that title in 1945 and it sold 195,000 retail copies in its first edition and 351,000 copies through
810-400: A high risk for ischemic stroke. There are two main types of hemorrhagic stroke: The above two main types of hemorrhagic stroke are also two different forms of intracranial hemorrhage , which is the accumulation of blood anywhere within the cranial vault ; but the other forms of intracranial hemorrhage, such as epidural hematoma (bleeding between the skull and the dura mater , which is
900-463: A job at the post office , where he meets white men who share his cynical view of the world and religion. They invite him to the John Reed Club , an organization that promotes the arts and social change. He becomes involved with a magazine called Left Front and slowly immerses himself in the writers and artists in the Communist Party . At first, Wright thinks he will find friends within
990-657: A lesser degree, similar obstacles that slaves faced. Wright's portrayal of hunger goes beyond a lack of food to represent a metaphorical kind of hunger in his yearning for a better, freer life. In his search for a better life in the North, Richard is seeking to fulfill both his physical and metaphorical hungers for more. The cyclical portrayal of poverty in Black Boy represents society as a personified enemy that crushes dreams for those who aren't in command of high society. The strong attempt at maintaining family unity also relates to
SECTION 10
#17327729142031080-527: A literary work of art or historical document, are emerging as a personal and family responsibility. The Association of Personal Historians was a trade association for professionals who assisted individuals, families, and organizations in documenting their life stories. It dissolved in 2017. With the expressed interest of preserving history through the eyes of those who lived it, some organizations work with potential memoirists to bring their work to fruition. The Veterans History Project , for example, compiles
1170-441: A person, when asked to raise both arms, involuntarily lets one arm drift downward) and abnormal speech are the findings most likely to lead to the correct identification of a case of stroke, increasing the likelihood by 5.5 when at least one of these is present. Similarly, when all three of these are absent, the likelihood of stroke is decreased (– likelihood ratio of 0.39). While these findings are not perfect for diagnosing stroke,
1260-404: A previous TIA , end-stage kidney disease , and atrial fibrillation . Ischemic stroke is typically caused by blockage of a blood vessel, though there are also less common causes. Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by either bleeding directly into the brain or into the space between the brain's membranes . Bleeding may occur due to a ruptured brain aneurysm . Diagnosis is typically based on
1350-452: A problem. Its appearance makes it advisable to seek medical review and to consider prevention against stroke . In thrombotic stroke, a thrombus (blood clot) usually forms around atherosclerotic plaques. Since blockage of the artery is gradual, onset of symptomatic thrombotic stroke is slower than that of hemorrhagic stroke. A thrombus itself (even if it does not completely block the blood vessel) can lead to an embolic stroke (see below) if
1440-406: A ruling that was quickly overruled by a prosecutor who found that "the explicit passages illustrated a larger literary, artistic, or political message". Black Boy has come under fire by numerous states, institutions, and individuals alike. Most petitioners of the book criticize Wright for being anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, overly sexual and obscene, and most commonly, for portraying
1530-540: A severe headache known as a thunderclap headache ) or reveal evidence of a previous head injury . Stroke may be preceded by premonitory symptoms, which may indicate a stroke is imminent. These symptoms may include dizziness, dysarthria (speech disorder), exhaustion, hemiparesis (weakness on one side of the body), paresthesia (tingling, pricking, chilling, burning, numbness of the skin), pathological laughter, seizure that turns into paralysis, "thunderclap" headache, or vomiting. Premonitory symptoms are not diagnostic of
1620-465: A society based on differences will always feed on an inescapable discourse. Wright's skeptical view of Christianity mirrors the religious presence for many slaves. Throughout Black Boy , this skepticism of religion is present as Richard regards Christianity as being primarily based on a general inclusion in a group rather than incorporating any meaningful, spiritual connection to God. The general state of poverty and hunger that Wright endures reflects, to
1710-432: A stroke, and may be a sign of other illness. Assessing onset (gradual or sudden), duration, and the presence of other associated symptoms are important, and premonitory symptoms may not appear at all or may vary depending on the type of stroke. Stroke symptoms typically start suddenly, over seconds to minutes, and in most cases do not progress further. The symptoms depend on the area of the brain affected. The more extensive
1800-415: A subarachnoid hemorrhage or an embolic stroke. If the area of the brain affected includes one of the three prominent central nervous system pathways —the spinothalamic tract , corticospinal tract , and the dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway , symptoms may include: In most cases, the symptoms affect only one side of the body (unilateral). The defect in the brain is usually on the opposite side of
1890-405: A way to record and publish their own account of their public exploits. Authors included politicians or people in court society and were later joined by military leaders and businessmen. An exception to these models is Henry David Thoreau 's 1854 memoir Walden , which presents his experiences over the course of two years in a cabin he built near Walden Pond . Twentieth-century war memoirs became
SECTION 20
#17327729142031980-458: A way to start a revolution : asserting that everyone has a "hunger" for life that needs to be filled. For Wright, writing is his way to the human heart, and therefore, the closest cure to his hunger. The genre of Richard Wright's Black Boy is a longstanding controversy due to the ambiguity. Black Boy follows Wright's childhood with a degree of accuracy that suggests it exists as an autobiography, although Wright never confirmed nor denied whether
2070-475: A writer. In an effort to achieve his dreams of moving north, Wright reluctantly steals and lies until he attains enough money for a ticket to Memphis. Wright's aspirations of escaping racism in his move North are quickly disillusioned as he encounters similar prejudices and oppressions amidst the people in Memphis, prompting him to continue his journeys towards Chicago. The youth finds the North less racist than
2160-584: A young age. Throughout his mischief and hardship, Wright gets involved in fighting and drinking before the age of six. When Wright turns eleven, he begins taking jobs and is quickly introduced to the racism that constitutes much of his future. He continues to feel more out of place as he grows older and comes in contact with the Jim Crow racism of the 1920s South. He finds these circumstances generally unjust and fights attempts to quell his intellectual curiosity and potential as he dreams of moving north and becoming
2250-501: Is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death . There are two main types of stroke: ischemic , due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic , due to bleeding . Both cause parts of the brain to stop functioning properly. Signs and symptoms of stroke may include an inability to move or feel on one side of the body , problems understanding or speaking , dizziness , or loss of vision to one side . Signs and symptoms often appear soon after
2340-400: Is a related syndrome of stroke symptoms that resolve completely within 24 hours. With the availability of treatments that can reduce stroke severity when given early, many now prefer alternative terminology, such as "brain attack" and "acute ischemic cerebrovascular syndrome" (modeled after heart attack and acute coronary syndrome , respectively), to reflect the urgency of stroke symptoms and
2430-409: Is an irritant which could potentially destroy cells since it is an acid and disrupts the normal acid-base balance in the brain. The ischemia area is referred to as the "ischemic penumbra ". After the initial ischemic event the penumbra transitions from a tissue remodeling characterized by damage to a remodeling characterized by repair. As oxygen or glucose becomes depleted in ischemic brain tissue,
2520-465: Is based on his life prior to and during his time in the Auschwitz, Buna Werke , and Buchenwald concentration camps. In the early 1990s, memoirs written by ordinary people experienced a sudden upsurge, as an increasing number of people realized that their ancestors' and their own stories were about to disappear, in part as a result of the opportunities and distractions of technological advances. At
2610-418: Is called stroke rehabilitation , and ideally takes place in a stroke unit; however, these are not available in much of the world. In 2023, 15 million people worldwide had a stroke. In 2021, stroke was the third biggest cause of death, responsible for approximately 10% of total deaths. In 2015, there were about 42.4 million people who had previously had stroke and were still alive. Between 1990 and 2010
2700-428: Is caused by interruption of the blood supply to the brain, while hemorrhagic stroke results from the rupture of a blood vessel or an abnormal vascular structure . About 87% of stroke is ischemic, with the rest being hemorrhagic. Bleeding can develop inside areas of ischemia, a condition known as " hemorrhagic transformation ." It is unknown how many cases of hemorrhagic stroke actually start as ischemic stroke. In
2790-497: Is documented throughout much of Black Boy . Most generally, Wright credits the public influence of Black Boy to his description of the racial inequalities he was subjected to throughout his travels in America. Wright recognized the power of reading and writing to stimulate "new ways of looking and seeing" at a young age. When he was seventeen, he left Jackson to find work in Memphis where he became heavily involved in literary groups and publications and expanded on his use of words as
Black Boy - Misplaced Pages Continue
2880-442: Is less reliable in the recognition of posterior circulation stroke. The revised mnemonic BE FAST , which adds balance (sudden trouble keeping balance while walking or standing) and eyesight (new onset of blurry or double vision or sudden, painless loss of sight) to the assessment, has been proposed to address this shortcoming and improve early detection of stroke even further. Other scales for prehospital detection of stroke include
2970-433: Is shuffled back and forth between his sick mother, his fanatically religious grandmother, and various maternal aunts, uncles and orphanages attempting to take him in. Despite the efforts of various people and groups to take Wright in, he essentially raises himself with no central home. He quickly chafes against his surroundings, reading instead of playing with other children, and rejecting the church in favor of agnosticism at
3060-525: Is split into two sections, "Southern Night" (concerning his childhood in the south) and "The Horror and the Glory" (concerning his early adult years in Chicago). The book begins with a mischievous four-year-old Wright setting fire to his grandmother's house. Wright is a curious child living in a household of strict, religious women and violent, irresponsible men. After his father deserts his family, young Wright
3150-477: Is the free memoir , a form of nonfiction that, in presenting the past, deviates from factual and literal accuracy. This play of truth distinguishes the free memoir from the memoir per se, the word 'free' meaning what it does in free translation , that is, 'not literal or exact.'” The term 'memoir' is used in some academic contexts to describe an essay on a learned subject. Examples include explanatory texts accompanying geologic maps . Stroke Stroke
3240-409: Is the reduction of blood flow to all parts of the brain. The reduction could be to a particular part of the brain depending on the cause. It is most commonly due to heart failure from cardiac arrest or arrhythmias , or from reduced cardiac output as a result of myocardial infarction , pulmonary embolism , pericardial effusion , or bleeding. Hypoxemia (low blood oxygen content) may precipitate
3330-447: Is the second leading cause of death in people under 20 with sickle-cell anemia. Air pollution may also increase stroke risk. An embolic stroke refers to an arterial embolism (a blockage of an artery) by an embolus , a traveling particle or debris in the arterial bloodstream originating from elsewhere. An embolus is most frequently a thrombus, but it can also be a number of other substances including fat (e.g., from bone marrow in
3420-422: The cerebral cortex is involved, the central nervous system pathways can again be affected, but can also produce the following symptoms: If the cerebellum is involved, ataxia might be present and this includes: In the days before a stroke (generally in the previous 7 days, even the previous one), a considerable proportion of patients have a "sentinel headache": a severe and unusual headache that indicates
3510-580: The American Library Association , Black Boy was the 81st most banned and challenged book in the United States between 2000 and 2009. Memoir Memoirs have been written since the ancient times, as shown by Julius Caesar 's Commentarii de Bello Gallico , also known as Commentaries on the Gallic Wars . In the work, Caesar describes the battles that took place during the nine years that he spent fighting local armies in
3600-536: The Gallic Wars . His second memoir, Commentarii de Bello Civili (or Commentaries on the Civil War ) is an account of the events that took place between 49 and 48 BC in the civil war against Gnaeus Pompeius and the Senate . The noted Libanius , teacher of rhetoric who lived between an estimated 314 and 394 AD, framed his life memoir as one of his literary orations , which were written to be read aloud in
3690-650: The Los Angeles Prehospital Stroke Screen (LAPSS) and the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS), on which the FAST method was based. Use of these scales is recommended by professional guidelines. For people referred to the emergency room , early recognition of stroke is deemed important as this can expedite diagnostic tests and treatments. A scoring system called ROSIER (recognition of stroke in
Black Boy - Misplaced Pages Continue
3780-792: The Middle Ages , Geoffrey of Villehardouin , Jean de Joinville , and Philippe de Commines wrote memoirs, while the genre was represented toward the end of the Renaissance , through the works of Blaise de Montluc and Margaret of Valois , that she was the first woman to write her Memoirs in modern-style. Until the Age of Enlightenment encompassing the 17th and 18th centuries, works of memoir were written by Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury ; François de La Rochefoucauld , Prince de Marcillac of France; and Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon , who wrote Memoirs at his family's home at
3870-487: The ventricular system , CSF or the pial surface. A third of intracerebral bleed is into the brain's ventricles. ICH has a mortality rate of 44 percent after 30 days, higher than ischemic stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage (which technically may also be classified as a type of stroke ). Other causes may include spasm of an artery. This may occur due to cocaine . Cancer is also another well recognized potential cause of stroke. Although, malignancy in general can increase
3960-548: The 1970s the World Health Organization defined "stroke" as a "neurological deficit of cerebrovascular cause that persists beyond 24 hours or is interrupted by death within 24 hours", although the word "stroke" is centuries old. This definition was supposed to reflect the reversibility of tissue damage and was devised for the purpose, with the time frame of 24 hours being chosen arbitrarily. The 24-hour limit divides stroke from transient ischemic attack , which
4050-707: The American Library Association labeled "50 Outstanding Books of 1945". The list, which was compiled by numerous individuals and institutions, acclaims Black Boy as "the author's account of his boyhood [that] is a grim record of frustration, race tension, and suffering". From 1996 to 2000, the Round Rock Independent School District board in Texas voted 4–2 against a proposal to remove Richard Wright's Black Boy from reading lists at local schools, eventually deciding
4140-461: The Bamford or Oxford classification) relies primarily on the initial symptoms; based on the extent of the symptoms, the stroke episode is classified as total anterior circulation infarct (TACI), partial anterior circulation infarct (PACI), lacunar infarct (LACI) or posterior circulation infarct (POCI). These four entities predict the extent of the stroke, the area of the brain that is affected,
4230-721: The Book-of-the-Month Club. Parts of the Chicago chapters were published during Wright's lifetime as magazine articles, but the six chapters were not published together until 1977, by Harper and Row as American Hunger. In 1991, the Library of America published all 20 chapters, as Wright had originally intended, under the title Black Boy (American Hunger) as part of their volume of Wright's Later Works . The Book-of-the-Month-Club played an important role in Wright's career. It selected his 1940 novel, Native Son , as
4320-465: The South and begins understanding American race relations more deeply. He holds many jobs, most of them consisting of menial tasks: he washes floors during the day and reads Proust and medical journals at night. At this time, his family is still suffering in poverty, his mother is disabled by a stroke , and his relatives constantly interrogate him about his atheism and "pointless" reading. He finds
4410-403: The South, and finally north, in search of a better life. Wright cites his family and childhood environment as the primary influence in his writing of the book. Specifically, Wright's family's strong religious beliefs imposed on him throughout his childhood shaped his view of religion. Similarly, the considerable distress—physical, mental, and emotional—that Wright experienced while growing up hungry
4500-649: The annual incidence of stroke decreased by approximately 10% in the developed world , but increased by 10% in the developing world. In 2015, stroke was the second most frequent cause of death after coronary artery disease , accounting for 6.3 million deaths (11% of the total). About 3.0 million deaths resulted from ischemic stroke while 3.3 million deaths resulted from hemorrhagic stroke. About half of people who have had stroke live less than one year. Overall, two thirds of cases of stroke occurred in those over 65 years old. Stroke can be classified into two major categories: ischemic and hemorrhagic . Ischemic stroke
4590-501: The area of the brain affected, the more functions that are likely to be lost. Some forms of stroke can cause additional symptoms. For example, in intracranial hemorrhage, the affected area may compress other structures. Most forms of stroke are not associated with a headache , apart from subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral venous thrombosis and occasionally intracerebral hemorrhage. Systems have been proposed to increase recognition of stroke. Sudden-onset face weakness, arm drift (i.e., if
SECTION 50
#17327729142034680-493: The arteries to the brain in those with problematic carotid narrowing , and anticoagulant medication in people with atrial fibrillation . Aspirin or statins may be recommended by physicians for prevention. Stroke is a medical emergency. Ischemic strokes, if detected within three to four-and-a-half hours, may be treatable with medication that can break down the clot , while hemorrhagic strokes sometimes benefit from surgery . Treatment to attempt recovery of lost function
4770-700: The autobiography as "objectionable" and "improper fare for school students." The book was later challenged in Lincoln, Nebraska on accounts of its "corruptive, obscene nature". In May 1997, the President of the North Florida Ministerial Alliance condemned the inclusion of Black Boy in Jacksonville's public schools, claiming the content is not "right for high school students" due to profanity and racial references. According to
4860-401: The blood supply by narrowing the lumen of blood vessels leading to a reduction of blood flow by causing the formation of blood clots within the vessel or by releasing showers of small emboli through the disintegration of atherosclerotic plaques. Embolic infarction occurs when emboli formed elsewhere in the circulatory system, typically in the heart as a consequence of atrial fibrillation, or in
4950-471: The body. However, since these pathways also travel in the spinal cord and any lesion there can also produce these symptoms, the presence of any one of these symptoms does not necessarily indicate stroke. In addition to the above central nervous system pathways, the brainstem gives rise to most of the twelve cranial nerves . A brainstem stroke affecting the brainstem and brain, therefore, can produce symptoms relating to deficits in these cranial nerves: If
5040-591: The book gained significant recognition, much of the reception throughout and after the publication process was highly controversial. Richard Wright's Black Boy was written in 1943 and published two years later (1945) in the early years of his career. Wright wrote Black Boy as a response to the experiences he had growing up. Given that Black Boy is partially autobiographical, many of the anecdotes stem from real experiences throughout Wright's childhood. Richard Wright's family spent much of their lives in deep poverty, enduring hunger and illness, and frequently moving around
5130-442: The book is accurate in the sense that he rarely deviates from narrative truth in the candidness and rawness of his writing. The style in Black Boy is so highly regarded because of the frankness that defied social demands at the time of Black Boy’s publication. Wright negates the racially based oppression he endured through his ability to read and write with eloquence and credibility as well as with his courage to speak back against
5220-544: The book was challenged in both Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Tennessee, both places claiming the book was obscene and instigated racial tension. Black Boy was first challenged in New York in 1976 by the board of education of the Island Trees Free School District in New York. It was soon the subject of a U.S. Supreme Court case in 1982 . Petitioners against the inclusion of Black Boy described
5310-469: The book was entirely autobiographical or fictitious. None of Wright's other books follow the truths of his life in the way Black Boy does. The book's apparent tendency to intermix fact and fiction is criticized because of the specific dialogue that suggests a degree of fiction. Additionally, Wright omits certain details of his family's background that would typically be included in an autobiographical novel. While Wright may have deviated from historical truths,
5400-504: The brain and places the person at increased risk for both transient ischemic attack and major stroke in the future. Conversely, those who have had major stroke are also at risk of having silent stroke. In a broad study in 1998, more than 11 million people were estimated to have experienced stroke in the United States. Approximately 770,000 of these were symptomatic and 11 million were first-ever silent MRI infarcts or hemorrhages . Silent stroke typically causes lesions which are detected via
5490-426: The carotid arteries, break off, enter the cerebral circulation, then lodge in and block brain blood vessels. Since blood vessels in the brain are now blocked, the brain becomes low in energy, and thus it resorts to using anaerobic metabolism within the region of brain tissue affected by ischemia. Anaerobic metabolism produces less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) but releases a by-product called lactic acid . Lactic acid
SECTION 60
#17327729142035580-431: The castle of La Ferté-Vidame . While Saint-Simon was considered a writer possessing a high level of skill for narrative and character development, it was not until well after his death that his work as a memoirist was recognized, resulting in literary fame. Over the latter half of the 18th through the mid-20th century, memoirists generally included those who were noted within their chosen profession. These authors wrote as
5670-424: The cells of the nervous system is normally kept low by so-called uptake carriers, which are powered by the concentration gradients of ions (mainly Na ) across the cell membrane. However, stroke cuts off the supply of oxygen and glucose which powers the ion pumps maintaining these gradients. As a result, the transmembrane ion gradients run down, and glutamate transporters reverse their direction, releasing glutamate into
5760-491: The content of the book was worthy and necessary in schools. In numerous cases of attempted censorship for Black Boy , Richard Wright's widow, Ellen Wright, stood up and publicly defended the book, claiming that the censorship of Black Boy would be "tantamount to an American tragedy". Black Boy was most recently challenged in Michigan in 2007 by the Howell High School for distributing explicit materials to minors,
5850-447: The core of the arguments in favor of censorship for many critics. The prevalence of violence amidst and against Blacks in America ties back to the violence exerted upon slaves generations before. The theme of violence intermixes with the notion of race as Wright suggests that violence is deeply entrenched into a system where people are distinguished based on their race. Regardless of Wright's efforts to break free from this violent lifestyle,
5940-460: The dominant norms of society that are holding him back. Given Black Boy’s emphasis on racial inequality in America, many of the motifs refer to the lingering aspects of slave narratives in present day. These motifs include violence, religion, starvation, familial unity and lack thereof, literacy, and the North Star as a guide towards freedom. The depictions of lingering racial animosity are at
6030-445: The efforts amidst slaves to remain connected through such immense hardship. Wright's longing to journey North in search of improvement embodies the slaves longing to follow the North Star on the freedom trains in search of freedom. Despite the harsh reality upon arrival, throughout Black Boy , the North is represented as a land of opportunity and freedom. Lastly, Wright's focus on literacy as a weapon towards personal freedom also reflects
6120-458: The efforts of many slaves hoping to free themselves through the ability to read and write. The emphasis on literacy complicates the notion of finding freedom from a physical space to a mental power attained through education. The most general impact of Black Boy is shown through Wright's efforts to bring light to the complexities of race relations in America, both the seen and unseen. Given the oppression and lacking education for blacks in America,
6210-411: The emergency room) is recommended for this purpose; it is based on features from the medical history and physical examination. Loss of consciousness , headache , and vomiting usually occur more often in hemorrhagic stroke than in thrombosis because of the increased intracranial pressure from the leaking blood compressing the brain. If symptoms are maximal at onset, the cause is more likely to be
6300-721: The fact that they can be evaluated relatively rapidly and easily make them very valuable in the acute setting. A mnemonic to remember the warning signs of stroke is FAST (facial droop, arm weakness, speech difficulty, and time to call emergency services), as advocated by the Department of Health (United Kingdom) and the Stroke Association , the American Stroke Association , and the National Stroke Association (US). FAST
6390-572: The first Book of the Month Club written by a black American. Wright was willing to change his Black Boy book to get a second endorsement. However, he wrote in his journal that the Book-of-the-Month-Club had yielded to pressure from the Communist Party in asking him to eliminate the chapters that dealt with his membership in and disillusionment with the Communist Party. In order for Wright to get his memoir really "noticed" by
6480-470: The general public, his publisher required that he divide the portions of his book into two sections. Upon its release, Black Boy gained significant traction—both positive and negative—from readers and critics alike. In February 1945, Black Boy was a Book-of-the-Month-Club selection, bringing it immediate fame and acclaim. Black Boy was also featured in a list compiled by the Lending Section of
6570-535: The hypoperfusion. Because the reduction in blood flow is global, all parts of the brain may be affected, especially vulnerable "watershed" areas—border zone regions supplied by the major cerebral arteries. A watershed stroke refers to the condition when the blood supply to these areas is compromised. Blood flow to these areas does not necessarily stop, but instead it may lessen to the point where brain damage can occur. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis leads to stroke due to locally increased venous pressure, which exceeds
6660-583: The memoirs of those who have served in a branch of the United States Armed Forces – especially those who have seen active combat. Memoirs are usually understood to be factual accounts of people's lives, typically from their early years, and are derived from the French term mémoire , meaning "reminiscence" or "memory." However, some works, which may be called free memoirs, are less strictly bound to remembered facts: "One type of life story
6750-482: The need to act swiftly. During ischemic stroke, blood supply to part of the brain is decreased, leading to dysfunction of the brain tissue in that area. There are four reasons why this might happen: Stroke without an obvious explanation is termed cryptogenic stroke ( idiopathic ); this constitutes 30–40% of all cases of ischemic stroke. There are classification systems for acute ischemic stroke. The Oxford Community Stroke Project classification (OCSP, also known as
6840-403: The party, especially among its black members, but he finds them to be just as timid to change as the southern whites he left behind. The Communists fear those who disagree with their ideas and quickly brand Wright as a "counter-revolutionary" for his tendency to question and speak his mind. When Richard tries to leave the party, he is accused of trying to lead others away from it. After witnessing
6930-721: The pressure generated by the arteries. Infarcts are more likely to undergo hemorrhagic transformation (leaking of blood into the damaged area) than other types of ischemic stroke. It generally occurs in small arteries or arterioles and is commonly due to hypertension, intracranial vascular malformations (including cavernous angiomas or arteriovenous malformations ), cerebral amyloid angiopathy , or infarcts into which secondary hemorrhage has occurred. Other potential causes are trauma, bleeding disorders , amyloid angiopathy , illicit drug use (e.g., amphetamines or cocaine ). The hematoma enlarges until pressure from surrounding tissue limits its growth, or until it decompresses by emptying into
7020-485: The privacy of his study. This kind of memoir refers to the idea in ancient Greece and Rome , that memoirs were like "memos", or pieces of unfinished and unpublished writing, which a writer might use as a memory aid to make a more finished document later on. The Sarashina Nikki is an example of an early Japanese memoir, written in the Heian period . A genre of book writing, Nikki Bungaku , emerged during this time. In
7110-423: The production of high energy phosphate compounds such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) fails, leading to failure of energy-dependent processes (such as ion pumping) necessary for tissue cell survival. This sets off a series of interrelated events that result in cellular injury and death. A major cause of neuronal injury is the release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. The concentration of glutamate outside
7200-417: The raw honesty of their hardships was rarely heard and even more rarely given literary attention, making the impact of Black Boy’s narrative especially influential. The book works to show the underlying inequalities that Wright faced daily in America. Wright wrote the entire manuscript in 1943 under the working title, Black Confession. By December, when Wright delivered the book to his agent, he had changed
7290-462: The risk of stroke, certain types of cancer such as pancreatic, lung and gastric are typically associated with a higher thromboembolism risk. The mechanism with which cancer increases stroke risk is thought to be secondary to an acquired hypercoagulability . Silent stroke is stroke that does not have any outward symptoms, and people are typically unaware they had experienced stroke. Despite not causing identifiable symptoms, silent stroke still damages
7380-402: The same time, psychology and other research began to show that familiarity with genealogy helps people find their place in the world and that life review helps people come to terms with their own past. With the advent of inexpensive digital book production in the first decade of the 21st century, the genre exploded. Memoirs written as a way to pass down a personal legacy, rather than as
7470-504: The stroke has occurred. If symptoms last less than 24 hours, the stroke is a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a mini-stroke. Hemorrhagic stroke may also be associated with a severe headache . The symptoms of stroke can be permanent. Long-term complications may include pneumonia and loss of bladder control . The biggest risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure . Other risk factors include high blood cholesterol , tobacco smoking , obesity , diabetes mellitus ,
7560-592: The thick outermost layer of the meninges that surround the brain) and subdural hematoma (bleeding in the subdural space ), are not considered "hemorrhagic stroke". Hemorrhagic stroke may occur on the background of alterations to the blood vessels in the brain, such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy , cerebral arteriovenous malformation and an intracranial aneurysm , which can cause intraparenchymal or subarachnoid hemorrhage. In addition to neurological impairment, hemorrhagic stroke usually causes specific symptoms (for instance, subarachnoid hemorrhage classically causes
7650-479: The thrombus breaks off and travels in the bloodstream, at which point it is called an embolus . Two types of thrombosis can cause stroke: Anemia causes increase blood flow in the blood circulatory system. This causes the endothelial cells of the blood vessels to express adhesion factors which encourages the clotting of blood and formation of thrombus. Sickle-cell anemia , which can cause blood cells to clump up and block blood vessels, can also lead to stroke. Stroke
7740-422: The title to American Hunger. The first fourteen chapters, about his Mississippi childhood, are compiled in "Part One: Southern Night," and the last six chapters, about Chicago, are included in "Part Two: The Horror and the Glory." In January 1944, Harper and Brothers accepted all twenty chapters, and was for a scheduled fall publication of the book. Black Boy is currently published by HarperCollins Publishers as
7830-420: The trial of another black Communist for counter-revolutionary activity, Wright decides to abandon the party. He remains branded an "enemy" of Communism, and party members threaten him away from various jobs and gatherings. He does not fight them because he believes they are clumsily groping toward ideas that he agrees with: unity , tolerance , and equality . Wright ends the book by resolving to use his writing as
7920-691: The underlying cause, and the prognosis. The TOAST (Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) classification is based on clinical symptoms as well as results of further investigations; on this basis, stroke is classified as being due to (1) thrombosis or embolism due to atherosclerosis of a large artery, (2) an embolism originating in the heart , (3) complete blockage of a small blood vessel, (4) other determined cause, (5) undetermined cause (two possible causes, no cause identified, or incomplete investigation). Users of stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine are at
8010-407: The use of neuroimaging such as MRI . Silent stroke is estimated to occur at five times the rate of symptomatic stroke. The risk of silent stroke increases with age, but they may also affect younger adults and children, especially those with acute anemia . Ischemic stroke occurs because of a loss of blood supply to part of the brain, initiating the ischemic cascade . Atherosclerosis may disrupt
8100-425: The weapon "to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of hunger for the life that gnaws in us" that is seen in Black Boy . Wright claims that he chose to write about the experiences referenced in Black Boy in an effort to "look squarely at his life, to build a bridge of words between him and the world". Black Boy (American Hunger) is an autobiography following Richard Wright's childhood and young adulthood. It
#202797