Part 4/11:
This decision sets up a fascinating paradox. Wright’s character, a man of intellect and sensitivity, walks a tightrope between artistic integrity and commercial viability. When his street-lit novel finally sells briskly, he is bombarded with praise from white publishers and editors—woke critics who believe they understand what Black characters "should" be like. This exposes a troubling trend: the commodification of Black stereotypes by the very system that claims to support Black voices.