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Violence plays a key role in Richard Wright’s autobiography. Different types of violence occur in different areas throughout the book. The first type of violence Richard experiences is in the first scene where he decides to burn some straw but instead burns his own house. Richard is severely punished by his mother for his careless misjudgments. As stated in the book, Richard says, “...my mother came close to killing me.” This anecdote sets the scene where all types of violence surround Richard’s life, whether by punishment or anger, and so it must be accepted as a way of life in his Black community. He might not approve of violence at home, but Richard knows that it has to be acknowledged. Richard views violence at home as a sign that he has done something wrong. He develops an instinct to evade as he gets used to the frequent slaps given by Granny. In the seen when Richard tells his granny to kiss his behind, Richard says, “ I dodged her and ran back into the house, then again into the hallway, my naked body flashing frantically through the air.” Richard does not want to be punished and refuses to get violently beaten, even if he knew that he had done something bad. Richard can’t discern the reason