The Confrontation

The short story, "The Confrontation" by Raymond Barrio, has similarities and differences with "The Fight," by Richard Wright. Barrio wrote a story based on a fruit picker named Manuel and the conflict of the story including him. He goes through a problem where he worked hard for his money, and the boss promised to not take money but causes a conflict because of his change of plans. Wright wrote a story where he was in a situation where he was new to the school, and boys approached him in a negative manner to test him. These characters both go through a problem where they were about to be taken advantage of.

"The Confrontation" is a story where the protagonist, Manuel Gutierrez, is a fruit picker and he has a supervisor/boss, Roberto Morales. Morales promised Manuel and his co-workers that he would not take money from them, but he began abusing his power along with abusing his employees. The text states: "Morales grinned, knowing everyone realized that he had the upper hand, that that would mean a loss of two or three dollars out of each picker's pay that day, a huge windfall for Morales." This caused a rebellion of the workers against the employer. Manuel got his way at the end because he was able to keep the money he was promised. Manuel fought against a power greater than him in order to get what he deserved. Another line from the text: "Without looking around, without taking his eyes off Manuel, Roberto Morales said sharply, 'All right. All right, men. I shall take nothing this time.'" He stood up for his moral beliefs, and won his pride.

"The Fight" is a story where the protagonist, the author himself, Richard Wright, was brought to a new school and had to adjust. Richard was comfortable, but he had anxiety of associating with other boys. When a group of boys approached Richard, they taunted him to see what he would do. Richard had moral beliefs, telling him if he does not stand to these boys now, they will continue that throughout the rest of his school years, including the other students' perspective and their actions towards him. the text states: "This was my test. If I failed now, I would have failed at school, for the first trial came not in books but in how one's fellows took one, what value they placed upon one's willingness to fight."He stood against the biggest bully of those kids and fought for his morals, even so he was dreaded and filled with anxiety. He did not want to fight in the beginning, but he had to. Another quote from the text: "At noon recess I went into the school grounds, and a group of boys sauntered up to me, looked at me from my head to my feet, whispering among themselves. I leaned against a wall, trying to conceal my uneasiness." Wright fought against the bigger person to make his name. Wright also stood for his morals and won.

"The Fight" and "The Confrontation" are both similar to each other. This is so because they both have protagonists that has fought for their moral beliefs. Richard Wright wrote a self-characterized story where he has fought against someone with more power than him. After that fight, he unanimously won because he won his pride, respect, and reputation. Raymond Barrio made a story where the protagonist was a fruit picker and he had a supervisor trying to cheat him and his co-workers out of their money. After the riot, Manuel got his way because Roberto Morales left their money alone. Based on Wright's and Barrio's stories, both protagonists fight against the bigger person in order to prove their righteousness and stand for their moral beliefs.

The main point of the comparison between Barrio's and Wright's literary pieces is the moral of their stories. Barrio's work was proving how an underdog, Manuel Gutierrez, can be determined to get justice when the tables are turned against him. The same moral lesson for Wright and his literary piece, in which Wright had no advantage, except his own pride. Both of these protagonists of their stories proved a moral lesson, which is to have enough strength for justice.

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