Uncle Tom

One morning Wright wakes up to his uncle asking him what time it is. He looks at his watch and gives his uncle the time, but his uncle isn't sure of his answer and asks him again. Wright doesn't want to deal with him or look at his watch again and tells him, "If it's a little slow or fast, it's not far wrong." His uncle becomes angry because of what Wright said to him. Wright responds again in a way that angers his uncle and his uncle tells him, "I never heard a sassier black imp that you in all my life." Wright doesn't like the way his uncle is treating him and talks back. Wright sees nothing wrong with what he's said because he speaks the same way other people. The two get into a big argument and Uncle Tom threatens to beat Wright. When Uncle Toms moves toward Wright to beat him, Wright fights him off with razors. Wright is upset with Uncle Tom because he thinks he has no right to beat or control him because Uncle Tom was never a big part of his life. He sees nothing wrong with what he has done to deserve a punishment from a man who has no right to do so. Also, Uncle Tom tells him that he'll "never amount to anything" and "end up on the gallows".

Writing

After the miscommunication between Richard and Granny, Granny told Richard he must pray for the sake of his soul. One day when Richard was supposed to be praying, he remembered some Indian history he had read and decided to write a story about that. Even though he realized his story was lacking some major elements, he was proud of himself for accomplishing something. He said, "But I had never in my life done anything like it; I had made something, no matter how bad it was; and it was mine." He then wanted to show it to someone and he chose the woman living next dooring knowing his family would not approve. His neighbor did not understand why he wrote it, and it makes him feel powerful because he did something that someone didn't understand. He has affirmed himself by writing, and this is the beginning of Wright using writing to make sense of the world.

Paralysis

Richard's views and feelings toward life in general change a lot after his mother suffers 2 strokes, the first one leaving her paralyzed. The first time, his neighbors help him take care of his mother, but he also decides to write a letter to Granny to help him. He is anxious for Granny to arrive, and "when she came, I gave up, letting her handle things, answering questions automatically, obeying, knowing that somehow I had to face things alone. I withdrew into myself." He "went through the days with a stunned consciousness, unable to believe what had happened". He also says, "The utter loneliness was now terrifying. I had been suddenly thrown emotionally upon my own." Wright is distraught when he comes to the realization he is on his own. Although he is scared because he has never had this type of responsibility, he refuses to accept food from other people even though he needs it because he is ashamed. When Wright's mother has a second stroke, she is taken away, and at this point, Wright realizes that his mother is out of his life completely. His mother suffers a lot, but he is still allowed to see her. Her illness becomes accepted in a way that they realize nothing can be done. His mother's suffering becomes a symbol in his mind for many negative aspects of the world. 

Cultural Heritage

While Wright's mother and Aunt Maggie worked all day cooking for white families, he and his brother were left at home to do whatever pleased them. They were given money everyday and each day they went to a grocery owned by a Jew. He had never seen a Jew in his life up until this point and says "the proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life". He says that people in his neighborhood hated Jews not because of the way they were treated by them, but instead because Sunday school taught them that Jews were "Christ killers". Jews were seen as a separate group from them and they singled them out and ridiculed them in ways such as chanting rude things. Wright and other kids were taught to hate Jews by their parents and that it was part of their "cultural heritage". Wright had seen many bad things happen to black people, such as Hoskins getting killed for no reason, and doesn't trust white people and he's kind of used to bad treatment of other people. Also, because blacks were the victims of this hatred, they needed a scapegoat. Black parents and children didn't see any harm in this because of how they are treated.  

Hunger

Wright is physically hungry for food. When his father left his family, there was no food for Wright's family to eat until his mother got a job as a cook for a white family. Even then he was not given enough food to satisfy him. He was allowed to go to work with his mother and was allowed the have scraps if there were any. Also, he didn't understand why he couldn't have the food his mother was cooking and that bothered him. Wright's hunger often consumes his thoughts, and he associated hunger with his father which caused a dislike, among other factors, towards him. Wright is hungry for other things not physical. Based on his behaviors, such as lighting the house on fire or hanging around bars, he needs to be occupied. He is often bored and it seems like he wants attention, someone to care for him, or somewhere where he belongs. He doesn't seem content which is apparent from his impulse or risky behaviors early on to the way he feels when lived at the orphanage.

School

As much as I dislike having to go to school at times, I think it is needed. Gatto does make valid points, but I think school has many positive aspects that shouldn't be thrown away just because of the negatives. The first aspect he lists is the adaptive function which causes people to obey authority without judgment. This does often happen, although not with everyone, and can be negative. However, learning to obey authority in a way where people still make their own choices is important. Another part of school is the integrating function in which people learn to conform. Conformity in a way is important for some level of functioning, but I agree with Gatto's stance that it is bad because it can cause people to lose their true identity. The diagnostic and directive function, as he states, determines a student's role and the differentiating function determines a student's role and how they are treated based on their determined role. I think that this definitely occurs, but that is unfortunate. In terms of the selective function, I think it's true, but I'm not sure what I think about it. As bad as it sounds, society needs people to do the less desirable jobs. The aspects of school that Gatto lists are generally true and some are damaging. However, the benefits, such as an education and other nonacademic skills acquired, are more important.

Nonacademic Education

I think that the nonacademic education that we receive is really important. I don't think that school is all about getting good grades or learning math or other facts because there's more to life than just doing homework and trying to get As. In school, people learn a lot socially which is an important factor for your whole life, unlike, for example, learning math or random facts. In order to keep a job, one has to know how to deal with varying social situations. Another part that's important is responsibility that goes along with going to school, although people display it at different levels. I think that learning social skills and responsibility are some of the most important and beneficial. Mann talks about other aspects of the nonacademic education such as physical, political, religious, and moral education. Physical education is important so that people can keep themselves healthy. Also, I think that political and religious education is important so that people can make informed decisions on what they believe and stand for. Although these are important, out of the things that Mann lists, moral education is the most important along with social skills and responsibility. Students are influenced by these nonacademic topics, and it is probably usually good. However, in some cases I think it could be bad, but whether or not it's good or bad is based completely on personal views and can vary person to person.