Little Richard does not really seem so little. Reading Black Boy it seems as if he is at least 13 and able to take care of himself. He starts out very immature, but his ways change majorly throughout the story. At the beginning of the story, Richard burns his house down on accident. Was it really an accident? Whatever it was, he got "attention" for it, mostly bad. Not exactly what Richard was looking for, but it satisfied him for the time being. If burning a house down is just another little event in his life, you know Richard has it rougher than anyone can imagine.
The main thing that strikes the reader is Richard's sense of self. He seems to grow up and learn every single thing on his own. For a boy of 4 years, this is no easy task. "Living it up" in the saloons, bars, and roaming streets is all Richard can say about his childhood. Is this how he wanted to grow up? Probably not. But having a sick mother, family living far away, and no paternal support, what could he expect. Richard's strength is put to the test with every obstacle in his life.
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