This diorama is a contrast between Richard's original home, at his grandma's

house, and where he moves to later, with Mr. and Mrs. Moss and their daughter Bess.

Richard's life was much better in Memphis with the Moss family than it ever was

living at Granny's house with Aunt Addie, Mom, and Grandpa down south. Mrs. Moss

treated Richard like a member of the family or someone they had know for years and

served him full meals at dinner time and was offended when she discovered Richard eating

a can of beans up in his room. Mrs. Moss even asked Richard if he liked her daughter

Bess and often talked about them getting married. Richard had only known them for a

few days and already Mrs. Moss had trusted him to live in their house and obey the rules.

Richard even suggested that they didn't know him and that he could be a burglar or thief ,

but Mrs. Moss was convinced that he had a "good Christian heart" and also said "you got

something in you I like" ( pg. 233 ).

At home with Granny, Richard never had a full meal and had to defend himself

from his Aunt Addie with a bread knife. He was also limited to the jobs he could work

and the places he went because of his Grandmother's strict rules. Because no one in the

family made enough money to support everyone, Richard had to contribute some of his

own money to the family in order to pay for the food and other things. Richard probably

had to pay the same amount he did living with Grandma that he did living with the Moss

family, but by living with the Moss family at least he had was food and he was free to do

what he wanted.

Richard was treated with respect and kindness by the Moss family who hadn't

even known him prior to the day he had first asked if they had a room for rent. While

living at Granny's house, Richard was beaten and almost starved to death by his own

family who had known him all his life.