Hunger

Quite literally Richard Wright is hungry simply because well, there is nothing to eat. Searching deeper into the text however, Wright seems hungry for something more. Hungry for a better life, hungry for opportunity, hungry for learning and knowledge. Wright shows his desire for knowledge early on in the story.
One of the first incidents Wright shares with the reader is his fascination with fire, and his extreme curiosity to see what new things would look like when burned. The simple fascination with fire shows very quickly how much Wright has the desire for new information that he has to take upon himself to discover.
Wright later shows again his desire to learn when he ventures into a saloon and learns to count to 100 whilst learning new swear words and getting drinks as a reward. Although Wrights methods of learning may be a little out of the ordinary, it still shows a desire to learn.