“i’ll take that poker and hit you! ” i blurted at my father. he looked at my mother and laughed louder. “you told him to say that,” he said. “don’t say such things, richard,” my mother said. “you ought to be dead,” i said to the strange woman. the woman laughed and threw her arms about my father’s neck. i grew ashamed and wanted to leave. “how can you starve your children? ” my mother asked. “let richard stay with me,” my father said. “do you want to stay with your father, richard? ” my mother asked. “no,” i said. “you’ll get plenty to eat,” he said. “i’m hungry now,” i told him. “but i won’t stay with you.” what does the excerpt convey about wright’s personality as a child? he was stubborn and proud. he was afraid of his father. he was shy and deferential. he was easily influenced by others.

Armed with invisible ink, a cipher system, and a passion to end the war and preserve the union, elizabeth van lew became butler's eyes and ears in the confederate capital city. truth be told, however, she became much more than that. she became a spymaster, the person responsible for running a network of agents, couriers, and safe houses that was very active during the war. in addition to the spying, elizabeth van lew continued to maintain her church hill home as a safe house and something of a local union spy headquarters. —the dark game, paul janeczko what is the central idea of this passage? van lew’s home was used as a safe house, which was critical to the confederacy. van lew had a passion to end the war and preserve the union. van lew was a spymaster, a leading force in the espionage activities for the union. van lew did not enjoy working for general butler.