Black BoyBlack BoyChapter 5Chapter 5

Granny and Addie decide that Richard is lost to Granny and Addie decide that Richard is lost to the world and finally give up the effort to save the world and finally give up the effort to save his soul. his soul.

This means that the two women grow cold and This means that the two women grow cold and hostile toward him, but it also means that he hostile toward him, but it also means that he can leave Addie’s religious school for a public can leave Addie’s religious school for a public school. school.

Granny refuses to pay for Granny refuses to pay for Richard’s public school textbooks Richard’s public school textbooks because she considers them because she considers them worldly. worldly.

Although he is Although he is enrolled in fifth grade, enrolled in fifth grade, two years behind his two years behind his age, he quickly gets age, he quickly gets promoted to sixth. promoted to sixth.

Feeling like he can do Feeling like he can do anything in the world, anything in the world, he dreams of being a he dreams of being a doctor and decides to doctor and decides to get a job. get a job.

However, Granny will However, Granny will not allow him to work not allow him to work on holy Saturday, and on holy Saturday, and no job will allow him no job will allow him that day off. that day off.

Bored and frustrated, he Bored and frustrated, he wanders around town, wanders around town, giving up his noontime giving up his noontime meal to explore even meal to explore even though he is starving. though he is starving.

One of his schoolmates One of his schoolmates alerts him of a job alerts him of a job delivering newspapers, delivering newspapers, which both of them which both of them appreciate since the appreciate since the paper carries a pulp story paper carries a pulp story section. section.

He sells the papers for a little while, He sells the papers for a little while, until a man calls him aside. The man until a man calls him aside. The man asks Richard if he has read the asks Richard if he has read the paper itself, and he answers no. paper itself, and he answers no.

It turns out that the paper It turns out that the paper is produced by Ku Klux is produced by Ku Klux Klan sympathizers.Klan sympathizers.

"I said to myself, that "I said to myself, that boy just doesn't know boy just doesn't know what he's doing," the what he's doing," the man tells him.man tells him.

In the summer, he takes In the summer, he takes a job that he enjoys, as a job that he enjoys, as an assistant to an an assistant to an insurance salesman. insurance salesman.

They travel into the They travel into the Delta country and to Delta country and to plantations where plantations where Richard measures Richard measures himself against the himself against the poor, illiterate children poor, illiterate children there. there.

They look up to him as one who They look up to him as one who is "city-fied," successful, and is "city-fied," successful, and admirable. admirable.

It's a new experience for him; to It's a new experience for him; to be treated as a model for others. be treated as a model for others.

And for once And for once he gets he gets plenty to eat.plenty to eat.

He wants to continue the job, but his He wants to continue the job, but his employer dies, another in a series of employer dies, another in a series of letdowns.letdowns.

One morning, One morning, Richard learns that Richard learns that Grandpa is seriously Grandpa is seriously ill. ill.

A Union veteran of A Union veteran of the Civil War, the Civil War, Grandpa has been Grandpa has been deprived of his deprived of his pension due to a pension due to a simple clerical error simple clerical error in his benefits in his benefits application. application.

One rumor has it that a white One rumor has it that a white Southern officer deliberately made Southern officer deliberately made this error to deprive Grandpa of his this error to deprive Grandpa of his due. due.

Grandpa has tried to claim his Grandpa has tried to claim his pension for decades, but the War pension for decades, but the War Department never accepts the Department never accepts the evidence he submits to prove that he evidence he submits to prove that he did in fact fight in the Civil War.did in fact fight in the Civil War.

Eternally bitter at this injustice, Eternally bitter at this injustice, Grandpa has remained cold and Grandpa has remained cold and distant to everyone, including distant to everyone, including Richard. Richard.

When Grandpa dies, the family When Grandpa dies, the family sends Richard to report the news to sends Richard to report the news to his uncle Tom, who now lives his uncle Tom, who now lives nearby. nearby.

Richard wakes Tom and Richard wakes Tom and immediately blurts out that Grandpa immediately blurts out that Grandpa has died. has died.

Tom takes offense at the indelicate Tom takes offense at the indelicate way Richard reports his father’s way Richard reports his father’s death, causing Richard to wonder death, causing Richard to wonder why he never seems to be able to why he never seems to be able to please other people.please other people.

Richard is not invited to the funeral. Richard is not invited to the funeral.

Eventually, Richard’s clothes grow Eventually, Richard’s clothes grow so shabby that he is embarrassed to so shabby that he is embarrassed to wear them to school.wear them to school.

He forces Granny to let him work on He forces Granny to let him work on Saturdays by threatening to move out, Saturdays by threatening to move out, calling her bluff. calling her bluff.

Only his mother is pleased, “Now I Only his mother is pleased, “Now I was truly dead to Granny and Aunt was truly dead to Granny and Aunt Addie, but my mother smiled when I Addie, but my mother smiled when I told her that I had defied them. told her that I had defied them.

She rose and hobbled to me on her She rose and hobbled to me on her paralytic legs and kissed me” paralytic legs and kissed me”