Griggs

When Griggs tells Wright to "learn how to live in the south" it essentially means that Wright is too independent. He needs to learn to put his head down and obey, and not question authority. In the south, there will be racism, and Wright can not fight against it, so if he is going to live there he must deal with it because that is the only way he can get by and stay alive. Wright naturally has a very questioning personality, and he is very aware of the racism that is happening aroung him. The fact that he "doesnt seem to notice" when a person is white or black is a great charachteristic nowwadays, but during that time period- and in the south- it was something that could get him killed. Griggs, as a friend, thinks he is helping Wright.... and in a way, probably is, just like the principal- because he knows that there is no way Wright will be able to keep a job or keep away from violence if he doesn't understand the danger of trying to see himself as an equal to a white person in the south. The fact that he did not tell Mr. Crane about the harassment and instead took his money and walked out shocked him a little bit because he realized that he was beginning to bend to what the southern society wanted... subservient black people. the fact that not only the white people wanted this, but the black people also seemed to tell him to act in this way, was scary to him. no wonder he wanted to go north.