Here's why:
* Lack of Resources: Richard's family was very poor and living in the South during the Jim Crow era. Access to books, especially storybooks, was very limited.
* Focus on Survival: Richard's grandmother and other family members were primarily focused on survival, providing food and shelter, and teaching practical skills.
* Social Norms: During this time, reading was not a priority for many Black children, especially in the rural South. Formal education was often limited and seen as less important than practical skills for surviving in a segregated society.
While Richard's grandmother didn't explicitly encourage him to read storybooks, she did play a significant role in his education:
* She instilled a love of stories: Richard's grandmother would tell him stories about her life, about slavery, and about the world beyond their small town. These stories sparked Richard's imagination and fostered his desire to learn.
* She encouraged him to learn: She saw the importance of education even in a limited environment and encouraged him to learn, though she couldn't directly teach him reading and writing.
* She taught him about the world: Through her stories and her life experiences, Richard learned about the complexities of racism, poverty, and the struggles of Black people in America.
Richard's grandmother's influence on him was profound, even though it wasn't in the form of reading storybooks. She nurtured his curiosity and thirst for knowledge, which ultimately led him to become a successful writer.