What are the motifs in Black Boy by Kay Boyle?

The idea of an imaginary world figures prominently in the story. The black boy invents an entire world in which he has lived. In this world, he "could be almost anything I made up my mind to be." For instance, he could have been a jockey, only he chose not to because they have to watch their diet so carefully. He also dreams up prettier surroundings. Instead of the boardwalk creaking above, he creates a time when all sorts of wild and exotic animals came down to the ocean edge. Although he acknowledges that this is a "mirage," he also claims, "I seen camels, I seen zebras, . . . I might have caught any of one of them if I'd been inclined."