A word is just characters (letters) put together to make a meaning, statement, or idea. In the South, whites wanted power over the blacks, and the only form it came in was a word. By the first amendment the whites had power to use words, as did the journalist against the southern whites. Richard grows up learning about the south and how it demolishes others, and how it stabs him in the back by words. Richard at the age of four learns that words have an undeniable power behind and in front of them.
             Parents are our first source of knowledge, power, and style of living. They structure us (children) for today's world. Richard began his life without his mother and father's right hand. The mother never tried to be nice, or caring to him, and the father had to work at night. At home his is not expected to be a child, but a nothing. He is no supposed to run yell, even have fun. "He was the lawgiver in our family, and I never laughed in his presence." (16) Richard was playing with a cat, but his dad rest during the day. The cat would meow and purr, but the father told him to kill the damn cat. Richard did so, without having any feeling toward the cat. Richard really knew that the dad did not mean it, but he did it. The father leaves, this being one of the major reasons. The consequence of this action is the Richard, the mother, and brother, now have to work more to make money, and have to starve at some moments.
             Whites expect gratitude and polite measures from the blacks at all times. The whites are the supremacy of the land and should not and could not be fooled. Richard was working for a clothing store, where blacks where undersold. He would make deliveries for the store and one day he got a flat tire on the bike. There were white drunk southerners who were willing to give Richard a ride. Richard did accept the ride. During the ride empty bottle did hit him, but never a white man
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