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=Mr. Miller's English 10 Lit Circles Wiki=

Here is where you write stuff. Talk about the book.

Joe, Garrett, Giuseppe, and Brittney
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toc =//The 3 questions - Why was he so bored that he burnd down the house? What makes him that angry to burn the house down? Why is his family so abusive to him? If you were Richard knowing his life style how would you react? britt period 4// Time line – Birthday- 1908 Death – 1960 Burned down the house Started school ( never finished a full year ) Killed the cat Moved a lot- britt period 4
 * Note from Mr. Miller: So far you have begun some good work here. I'd like to see more participation from everyone to make this work more effectively. So far you have mentioned both racism and family as predominant themes in the book. That's good. Start to use those themes to help you figure out what Richard Wright is saying about how those things played a role in his life. In general, what is happening to him? What is he learning about the world around him? Keep posting your ideas.**

**FAMILY AS A THEME**
From what I have read the theme so far is family. Richard and his family are going through very rough times. They dont have much money the mother is working all the time. Richards family have hardly any food because the father left them and they are always hungry. Richard doesnt live with his mother anymore because she cant watch him and work at the same time so she sent him and his brother to an orphanage. So Richards family is not going good right now and thats what I thought was the theme so far. Richards family seems very religous and his mother never swears, Richard hardly ever swears and if he does he is beaten. Richards mother and brother are all his has right now. Anothe theme is that there is a lot of racism in the story and Richard does not realize this yet because he is to young. -Garrett

I agree with Garrett. I think that the theme is about Richard not understanding racism, regardless that they are in the 1900'sand racism still occurs. I disagree Garrett that the theme is also family. Yes, family has alot to do with it but, I don’t think that’s what the book is trying to say. It’s about a boy who doesn’t know what’s right from wrong. If I had to pick a second theme it would be money and hunger. Richard in my view doesn’t care much about his family. He wants to live on his own. Hunger and money are big factors because that’s what you need to have in order to survive. I think he would be better of living on his own because he’s not learning anything by getting beaten by his family for everything he does wrong. He would just do it again, just to to get caught this time. ~> P. 4 John M

I agree with garrett. The theme is all about family and the isuse the go though about the story. They are going threw a tuff time becasue the mon works full time try to soport them because the father dosen't come home at night with the monney and goes out at night till late. that is why richard is made and wants to get back at his father becasue he so fusterated. richard dose care for his family but he so cot up and geting back at his dad that he dosn't try to help his family with food.If any dosn't care for there family it would be the dad and no won dsoe any thing about acecpt for richard but he doing it the wrong way the mom should do something about it beside let him get away with it. - giuseppe p.4

**THEME -Racism**
What is the most important theme shown in the book? The theme that is shown in the book the most is rascism and it is showsn on both sides. To white people when Richard won't sell his cat to the women because she is white. Then they always act rasist to Richard calling him names and doing thing to hold him back, like when he wants to learn to read and he can't because he is black. Giuseppe p.4

From reading more of the book i am starting to think the theme is racism. Earlier in the book when Richard was young and didnt realize how bad racism was and what it was. Now that he is older he notices it a lot more and is starting to feel the fear and the difference between blacks and whites. Richards noticed that the whites sat at a different part of the bus and the blacks where not allowed in the white section. Richards uncle was killed because of racism and ever since that he has been getting scared of whites. Richard is always seeing his aunts and uncles running away and moving people whites are going to kill them. In the beggining of the book i thought the theme was family but as the book goes on im realizing that it is mostly racism. - garrett per-4 = = === Abuse-

· Through out the book we have noticed that Richards life basically consist of abuse and he deals with these violent acts everyday. From page one and on almost everything and anything he does he is beaten for. Its to the point were Richard wont even let him self fall asleep at night from the fear of his mother coming in his room and start yelling. During the time when Richard killed the cat he was scolded and his mom made him burry it. Even now he is starting to argue back for example when his aunt tried to beat him he pulled a knife at her and they started to fight. · **BLACK BOY PERIOD FOUR GROUP ONE - britt period 4** = =

POST-ITS
One of the post-its I had was "why did Richard get so scared when his unlce drove the buggy into the river?" Richard got very scared and almost jumped out of the buggy. I dont know why he got so scared, the buggy was floating away or going under water. In my opinion Richard over reacted and shouldnt have flipped out. After Richards uncle did that Richard never trusted him again. The other post-it I had that I thought was important was " how come Richards uncle was killed?" Richards uncle was killed in the story and it never really explained why he was killed. Im not sure if was killed because of rasicm or because he did something wrong. - Garrett period-4

- grandmother is sick - Richard is impatient - Richard doesnt listen - Richards an alcohalic - He begs for pennies for drinks - He began school - He really wants to read - Grandmother wont let him and wont say why - britt period 4
 * Chapter one -
 * Page 21
 * Page 45

2/26 There has been many themes so far in this book, two that came up a lot was starvation and rasicm. SInce Richards father left Richard is almost always starving because his family cant afford food. Only a couple times Richard had food but that was when Richard lived with his aunt and other family member who could afford food. Richard now lives with his grandmother who doesnt have a lot of money and Richard is always hungry. He has to drink water to make his stomach full. Racism came up a lot in the book and for the most part Richard does not understand it because he is to young, but he is starting to realize as he gets older.Those are the themes that I thought came up a lot in the book so far. - Garrett p.4 =

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A good discussion question is one that involes one or more parts of the book or focuses on a major situation.The question should focus on the character's characteristics. - britt period 4 ===

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