His mother takes Richard and his brother to live at their grandmother's house. They move to Arkansas to live with Maggie and her husband b/c granny's religious rules tie them down. Maggie and Richard's mother are sisters. Maggie's husband, a successful saloon owner, is killed. In fear for their lives they go back to granny's house. They then move back to Memphis. Aunt Maggie left with a man who killed a white woman.

Richard's mother had a stroke. Her left side was paralyzed. They went to live with Granny. Afterwards Richard's brother goes to live with Aunt Maggie in the north. Richard goes to live with Uncle Clark. After finding that a boy died in his room he can't sleep. He finally went home to

Richard borrows a library card from a Catholic co-worker, Mr. Falk. He obtains books to read. Through these books he learned that words could be used as weapons. He keeps the fact that he reads books a secret. Richard sends for his mother and his brother to live with him.

In the spring he gained enough weight to meet the requirement. They moved to

Richard is twelve years old. The poetry of religious hymns inspires Richard to write his own poetry. Richard isn't religious his granny tries to convert him. One day at church he tells his grandmother that if he ever saw an angel he would believe. His grandmother misunderstands him and thinks that he has seen an angel. His grandmother tells everyone that he has seen an angel. Afterwards Richard apologizes and promises to pray for salvation. When he prays he find nothing to say to God. This is when he writes his first story. Richard is given up by the family. He is an outsider.

Richard gets a job working for a female white. She insults him by giving him moldy bread and old molasses. When she inquires what grade he is in school he tells her that he is in the 7th grade and that he wants to be a writer. The white woman tells him that he will never be a writer. He doesn't return to the job the next day.

As Richard gets older he is isolated from his classmates and relatives. His brother, who comes to visit, also becomes critical of his ways. He also finds out that his Uncle Tom is telling his cousin Maggie to stay away from him. Richard wants to leave. Richard is valedictorian of his 9th grade class. The principal wants Richard to read a speech he has written. Richard has already prepared a speech. The principal threatens that Richard will not graduate if he doesn't read his speech. Richard reads his own speech. He is isolated even more by his peers and relatives. In the year 1925 he goes out into the world at the age of 17.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Uncle Tom, Aunt Cleo, Afterwards Richard, Front Chapter, Uncle Clark, Union Army, Ross Richard's, Memphis Richard, Cafe Richard, Aunt Maggie, communist party, aunt maggie, richard's mother, optical house, black communist, aunt maggie richard, white woman, mother live, resign communist, richard job, mother ill, black communist party, resign communist party,
Approximate Word count = 1490
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)