"Learning how to live in the south."

When Griggs says that Wright needs to "learn how to live in the south," he is saying that Wright needs to learn how to conform and live in society. Right now, Wright is in danger of getting hurt because he is not conforming and he realizes that something is wrong with his society. Griggs is saying that in order for him to survive and keep a job in the south he needs to learn to behave a certain way around white people. He has to be more careful about what he says and does. As he has experienced before, when he does not keep himself in check, which he seems to have a hard time doing, then he gets fired from his jobs. There is a kind of behavioral code in the south between blacks and whites, and if you do not follow it you will be punished. When Wright is working in the optical shop and he is accused of not saying Mr. Pease, this is an example of one of the "rules."