In this passage, Charlie likens the streets of his slum to the pages in a book, though the poverty of Richmond means the stories are unconventional. Hand to mouth and day to day, that’s how it was.' Charlie, p. It was no fairytale with feel good middles and happy endings. 'The streets of Richmond were like the pages in a book. The quote also explains why Charlie continues to grieve throughout the novel, as he never had a chance to grieve in the first place. This quote brings to light how the poor are often forced to think about their survival above everything else. Because of their poverty, they are not afforded the luxury of a grieving period they must adapt to their new circumstances, in which the person who supported the household has died.

35Īfter Charlie watches his father die from Spanish flu, he and his mother immediately begin making plans for how they'll make money in the future. It is Charlie's desire to be warm that fuels his desire to start running, and it is his ability as a runner that leads Charlie to make enough money to own a timber yard, where he will have a replenishing supply not just of money but of wood to burn for warmth.Įven in death, the poor were denied the luxury of grieving. This passage is significant because it represents Charlie's motivation. Charlie's family, like many families in the slums of Richmond, are unable to purchase the wood needed to heat their homes. In this passage, Charlie equates poverty with being cold.

The runner robert newton