What might Gaines be saying, beyond his discussion of the African American experience in the Jim Crow south?

From the book A lesson before dying .

I vowed I would never have a relationship without my parent's permission. I would be tempted to break that if I liked this person and my parent's didn't like them. I would be tempted to do this because I like this person, the idea of them thrills, and I would be doing something against what my parents said and doing so that create another thrill. I would be tempted because I have never done something like that before. And, it would excite me to have the opportunity to be some one.

I hope this is what you wanted: