Free Essays -Themes of Native Son

Themes of Native Son

Frustration and hopelessness develop as major themes of the story. When Bigger and his friend Gus watch a sky writing plane, Bigger expresses frustration in his statement "I could fly one of them things if I had a chance." Discussing the impossibility of accomplishment in the white-controlled world, Bigger expresses hopelessness, saying, "They don't let us do nothing." When Gus reminds Bigger that they have always known this, Bigger agrees, but insists that he cannot accustom himself to it. "Every time I think about it," he says, "I feel like somebody's poking a red-hot iron down my throat." Today a good example of the same type of frustration can be seen on the various music videos done by black artists. These video portray, poor education and a lack of opportunities afforded to blacks.

Oppression, hate, and the separatism between whites and blacks also arises as a main theme. Bigger represents the oppressed but rebellious black, in contrast the Dalton's represent naive whites, and Jan and Max represent the oppressed communists. These various characters hate each other without comprehend the underlying social cause. Only the oppressed groups come to help and forgive each other by the end of the novel, while the oppressors still asking for bitter vengeance. The separatism become obvious while Bigger when sits in the car with Mary and Jan. He feels afraid and uncomfortable being treated like an equal and being allowed to sit near them. This separatism also made his oppressors blindly ignorant of the realities of social oppression. Separatism affects both sides of the color line. The characters consider each other as separate entities, never interacting on an equal basis. Social ignorance allows the scapegoating of Bigger, to vent the anger and rage built up from by many years of tension between the races. A good example of separatism and oppression in our area shows up in the conflicts between Whites and Hispanics. Arguments about English as the official language as the official language of the US represent the manifestations of this conflict.

A notable theme that the author portrays through Bigger's actions come from the true meaning of freedom to the oppressed. Bigger's discovered "freedom" came to him in two instances, in both cases while committing murder. With the death of Mary Dalton, Bigger starts to realize that for the first time he has gone against the law.