Uncle Tom

• Blog – Why is Wright so angry with his Uncle Tom?

Wright is angry with Uncle Tom because of his uncle’s criticism of his manners and upbringing. Uncle Tom had only been around Richard for a short while before he wore out his welcome. Uncle Tom decides that he will beat Richard for what he perceives as sass, even though Richard is not being sassy. Richard detests his uncle for his purposeless threat of a beating. He tells his uncle that he will cut him with razor blades, which he hid in his hands, because he will not take his uncles torments. Richard despises his uncle even more for his attempted rebuttal of the beating in which is uncle tries to fake pity for wrights not taking his beating. As a result, Richard blows him off because he believes, as a central part of his character, that it is wrong to submit to injustice of any kind, that it is better to be an outcast than to be subjugated beneath a unjust person.