Is Richard a bad boy?

Richard is a downright trouble maker. By the tender age of four he can testify to committing arson and by age six to being alcoholic. Well, he wasn't really that bad but still, Richard has more to say for his problem-causing than the average pre-schooler. After burning down his house and drinking beer, Richard admits to having misstepped in his actions when he sais, "I had done something wrong, something I could not hide or deny" (Wright 5) and reveals how every morning he would return to the saloon regardless of the lesson he was being taught by the beating he received the night before (21). In addition to destroying houses and brain cells, Richard also kills kittens. As with the previous incidents, Richard is fully aware that what he is doing is wrong as he thinks, "I knew that he had not really meant for me to kill the kitten . . ." (11). Ignoring his better judgment Richard goes ahead and kills the kitten. Richard is fully capable of determining good actions from bad ones, and that is exactly why he is a bad boy when he consciously chooses to make the wrong moves.

If one can think clearly, then behavior is blamed on the person. An environment that provokes bad behavior does not make that behavior right. It may make poor behavior harder to control but if someone knows that what they are doing is wrong then it is always wrong. For example, Johnny owns pirated music. Although millions of people do it, Johnny still knows that it's wrong. Behavior is always blamed on the individual. The environment only gives the illusion that poor decisions seem less poor.