Black Boy

From the accounts of his childhood, we can sense that Richard feels alienated from his family. He is fearful of his mother's intense beatings, careful to avoid his father, and deathly afraid of his grandmother's white image. This theme of alienation is one that continues, both in relation to Richard's family, the black community, as well as the white community. This sense of isolation comes out in rebellion, evidenced by his burning the house down and killing the kitten. Richard kills the kitten out of resentment towards his father and his unwillingness to obey authority. Richard's parents and relatives play a wavering role between subordinators who try to suppress him and authority figures that try to raise with him under strict moral rule.

The orphange is different in that the boys are provided with two meals a day, and they have a schedule.... a sense of expectations. This doesn't mean that Richard enjoys the food, but he does eat regularly. The boys also have chores that need to be performed. Richard hates the orphange and runs away.