Uhnkul Tahm

To Richard at this point in his life, Uncle Tom represents all of the societal barriers that he faces every day. Uncle Tom believes that Richard needs to adapt to the world around him, or really the white societal standards. He thinks the most important thing for Richard to learn is to respect others around him and not to talk back, because sass is something that white people would not appreciate coming from a black boy like Richard. Richard on the other hand believes that if he conforms to this society the way his uncle wants him to, there would be almost no chance of him escaping his current situation and finding a new and better life for himself. As a result, Richard lashes out against his uncle both physically and verbally and refuses to abide by his rules and wishes.