Why doesn’t Jeremy like his brothers and sisters? Why is this shocking to Stacey? What good personality characteristic of Jeremy’s does this show?

Jeremy is a towheaded white boy, probably about eleven, who wants to be friends with Stacey. While the other white children ride the bus, he always walks to school. He is whipped by his father for associating with the Logans. He dislikes his older brothers and sleeps in a treehouse to get away from his family. Jeremy is just a kind child. Racism and cruelty go against his nature.