Valuable Lessons In Richard Wright's Autobiography, Black Boy

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The autobiography, Black Boy, by Richard Wright describes his life, learning valuable lessons. Richard is a young boy who lives in a tenement with his mother, father and brother. His father is known to not have the best relationship with him. His father works during the night at a drugstore and sleeps during the day. One day, their family found a stray cat at their doorstep. Out of anger and logically, his father told him to kill the cat to make him leave the family alone. Taken literally, Richard kills the cat out of innocence. Once his father finds out, he's appalled with his action, as if he didn’t tell Richard to kill the cat. Subsequently, his mother creates a severe punishment for his sinful actions. His mother makes Richard bury the cat. …show more content…

His mother is rated seven on the scale. After Richard making a bad choice, he was severely punished by his mother. After killing the cat, his mother believed that him burying the cat would show him what he had wrong. Her punishment for him was very severe and unethical, acknowledging that Richard is four years old. As a young child, the image of burying something he unwillingly killed scared him for the rest of his life. For example, during his adulthood, Richard remembered details about his mother’s decision. Her choice to punish Richard in this manner was very severe. A young child who committed a crime should not have to endure the pain of seeing a cat be buried, once he killed it. Acknowledging that it was the early 1900s, punishments and actions differed than today. Therefore, Richard’s mother’s punishment may have been just for the time. However, in the 21 century, her crime is considered evil and sinful. Consequently, she was rated seven on the scale. This is below those who murdered or killed someone, yet more evil than people who make less evil, irrational decisions. Richard’s mother displays evilness when forcing him to bury a dead

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