Paradigm in Black Boy

A paradigm is an example serving as a model or pattern (the mold or standard)

In Black Boy, the opening reveals personality traits, behaviors, situations and relationships that are repeated throughout the autobiography.

Boredom and Restlessness “A bird wheeled past the window and I greeted it with a glad shout” (3). He is so bored a bird is exciting and it becomes symbolic for the freedom he wants. “I hung my head and sulked. She left and I ached with boredom” (4). Richard wants to be distracted by someone else and interact with people, he is pretty social.

Curiosity “An idea of a new kind of game grew and took root in my mind. Why not throw something into the fire and watch it burn?” (4). He is trying to think of a game to distract himself and the fire seems like an easy option to satisfy his curiousity. “My idea was growing, blooming. Now I was wondering just how the long fluffy white curtains would look if I lit a bunch of straws and held it under them” (4). He was having so much fun burning things he ignores the consequences because of his curiosity.

Effect of Fear “I trembled with fright... I was terrified; I wanted to scream but was afraid” (4-5). Richard is so afraid he is unable to do anything, he is almost paralyzed because of his emotions. “I would run away and never come back... I crawled under the house and... balled myself up in a tight knot... and neither did it occur to me that I was hiding under a burning house” (5). He is having a very immature reaction to the situation he is in, he can’t let his family know where he is even though his life is in danger.

His Community’s Attempt to Get Him to Conform “All morning my mother had been scolding me, telling me to keep still, warning me that I must make no noise” (3). "’You better hush,’ my brother said” (3). His mother is trying to get him to behave in a standard way for the time period, children were seen and not heard. "’Don't do that,’ he said” (4). Alan pressures him to behave as well, so it is not just adults doing this to Richard but kids as well.

Richard’s Refusal to Conform “... pushed back the long fluffy white curtains--which I had been forbidden to touch-and looked yearningly out into the empty street. I was dreaming of running and playing and shouting” (3). This is a pretty typical response to this situation for a child, he is normal to refuse. “‘You shut up,’ I told him” (3). Richard is not going to let Alan stop him from doing what he wants and he certainly won’t listen to him.

Threat of Consequences “All morning my mother had been scolding me, telling me to keep still, warning me that I must make no noise” (3). Even though he has been warned the consequences don’t seem to matter to him, he still is disruptive. “Soon my mother would smell that smoke and see the fire and come and beat me. I had done something wrong, something which I could not hide or deny... my mother must not find me and whip me for what I had done” (5). Now that he has done something REALLY wrong he is so afraid of what will happen next he isn’t acting rationally.