The Native Son
The novel, Native Son, by Richard Wright deals with a lot of themes all surrounding the protagonist, Bigger. Wright wants to show that, considering the conditions of Bigger's existence, his violent personality and his criminal behavior are not surprising. Bigger wants to feel like a human being with a free, independent will. His overwhelming sense of fear arises from his lack of power feeling in the face of an unnamed, hovering doom. Bigger’s crime is an act of rebellion, an affirmation of his independent will to act against the voice of social authority. Violence and crime are the only things Bigger feels he can use to declare his individual will as a human being. Two of the themes in the novel, deals with Richard Wright’s criticisms and the blindness of Jan and Mary.
The social institutions described by Wright in the novel were very detailed. During the 1930’s, a symbolic code that was very common on black servants was one who was humble, clownish and ignorant. This helped elevate the whites rage, and boost the propagated images of black Americans. The newsreel depicted the entertainments and scandals of the ultra-rich. This newsreel was followed by a movie that portrayed black people as exotic, primitive savages. Together, these two films reflected an exaggerated portrait of racist symbolic codes. White society has control over the social dilogue that determines the meaning of the color of Bigger's skin and identity. "Blackness" is portayed as dangerous, savage, and inferior to "whiteness."
The judicial system was also criticized in their rulings against Bigger. They didn’t seem to give much thought of Max’s speech. They still did what society wanted and found him guilty. Richard Wright criticizes the courts for being one-sided on every case that involves a “colored man.”
In the middle of the second book, the press were so interested in Bigger to help with discrediting Jan and the Communist Party. They are delighted to hear that Bigger didn't want to eat with Jan and Mary at Ernie's. They wanted to print an article using Bigger to "prove" that the "primitive Negro" doesn't want to be "disturbed by white civilization.” Though they are the ones being fooled by Bigger’s role playing in which he can use to protect himself, due to their racism.
Mr. Dalton’s real estate company charges homeowners in the black belt, an exhorborant amount for run down.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how wright's novel, native son, deals with a lot of themes surrounding the protagonist, bigger.
- Analyzes how the social institutions described by wright in the novel were detailed. the newsreel depicted the entertainments and scandals of the ultra-rich, followed by a movie that portrayed black people as exotic, primitive savages.
- Analyzes how richard wright criticizes the judicial system for being one-sided on every case that involves a "colored man."
- Analyzes how the press was interested in bigger to discredit jan and the communist party. they wanted to print an article using him to prove that the primitive negro doesn't want to be "disturbed by white civilization."
- Analyzes how mr. dalton's real estate company charges homeowners in the black belt an exhorborant amount for run down.
- Analyzes how mary dalton seems dangerously unaware of the social codes that drew a strict boundary between white women and black men. she does not realize the deadly consequences her actions could have for bigger.
- Analyzes how bigger has learned to distrust the seemingly kind gestures of white people. he could never assume a position of equality with them on his own initiative.
- Analyzes how the social institutions and the blindness of jan and mary are underlining themes of the novel.
Related
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- Criticism In Native Son, By Richard Wrightanalytical essayBefore discussing Jan Erlone and Boris Max, the communists in the novel, it should be known that Richard Wright was a member of the Communist Party when he wrote Native Son. Wright used these two characters in the novel along to support the movement and make it look more positive. This, along with other things to be included later, was very controversial and generated much criticism for the novel. The communist characters turn out to be the most supportive and helpful towards Bigger. Jan Erlone is Mary Dalton’s boyfriend and is quite similar to her at the beginning of the novel. He contributes to Bigger feeling afraid and ashamed as well as tries to force communism upon him. After murdering Mary, Bigger attempts to frame Jan for the crime.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how wright used the communist characters in native son to support the movement and make it look positive.
- Analyzes how the article by jack l. nelson and valerie ooka pang discusses racism in the north and south.
- Analyzes how kivel argues that colored people don't trust all white people, and that racism can cause people to act out and do things they may not have done in different circumstances.
- Analyzes how richard wright received criticism for native son's use of bigger as a representative for all african americans in the time period.
- Explains that black bigger did the things he did because american capitalist society has made an outcast of the black man.
- Analyzes wright's argument that the focus should be removed from bigger and his crimes and redirected towards american society.
- Argues that richard wright put some of himself into bigger thomas. he knew the struggles of racism first hand being a colored man in america.
- Explains that the bigger thomases violated jim crow laws and got away with it for a sweet, brief spell. they were shot, hanged, maimed, lynched, and hounded until they were either dead or their spirits broken.
- Explains that bigger was created to represent all african american people, not the common colored man, but to be a spark in the fire. he used real events and symbols to prove that things were bad.
- Analyzes how wright included racist symbols to demonstrate racial discrimination, such as the alarm clock and the rat.
- Analyzes how bigger's dissociation with his emotions and fear of the whites causes him to hate them.
- Opines that while racism has changed over time, it still causes problems on our modern society. there is no correct way to be an ally but there is an incorrect way.
2111 wordsRead More - Native Son by Richard Wrightanalytical essayWhen Bigger goes out of the house, we read what he is thinking: he is thinking of being a pilot or other high man, but then he understands that this is impossible, because he is a "Negro." When he meets his friends, he mentions that he killed many times, because he needed money. But when they decided to rob Blum's office, Bigger starts to tremble, because Blum is a white man, and difference between robbing white and black man is that when he robs black man - he is innocent, but when he robs white - he will be in a jail for many years. Life of a black man didn't mean anything. This was the worst thing those times.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that native son is popular today because it teaches us to respect everyone, black or white, because we are one nation.
- Analyzes how bigger's mom asks him to accept a job offered by mr. dalton, because of the poor conditions of thomas family.
- Analyzes how bigger trembles when he robs blum's office. he is innocent, but a black man is jailed for many years.
- Analyzes how bigger hates ms. dalton because she is white, and because whites hate blacks, but he sees it because of the big wound in his soul.
- Analyzes how bigger decides to collect money from daltons, saying that mary was kidnapped and put his girlfriend bessie to this business. when reporters saw the bones in the furnace, he leaves.
- Explains that bigger was afraid of being caught by police because he knew a white girl would die. people thought that black people were animals and animal kills human.
- Explains that the only communist who defended and understood bigger was mr. max. he understood the situation of black people and wanted to stop discrimination.
- Explains that bigger finds that only mr. max, even though he is white, respected him and understood him.
590 wordsRead More - Bigger Thomasanalytical essaySympathy is an important aspect of human nature. Without it, the entire human race would be overcome with tyrants; however, it is also a major downfall of society. Sometimes, people undeserving of the sympathy of others still attain it unjustly. This is the case of Bigger Thomas in Richard Wright's Native Son. Although some may argue that it was merely his response to the conditions in which he lived, Bigger does not deserve the sympathy those people give him because all colored people were oppressed, he had people supporting him, and he was clearly violent from the start and enjoyed the kill. First, in the time period in which Bigger lived, all black people were living in the same oppressive conditions, but they did not all lash out in socially and morally unacceptable behavior like he did. For example, the city in which Bigger lived, Chicago, is huge. There were at least hundreds of others living in similar, if not worse, conditions to those in which Bigger and his family lived. What did they do? They toughed it out, dealt with it, worked hard, did what they could, and did it all without sawing a girl's head off and blaming it on a man that loved her. In addition, some actually overcame the obstacles set forth, such as the Dalton's previous chauffeur, Green, who went to night school. As a result, he acquired a government job. Why did Green go to night school? Mrs. Dalton gave him the opportunity and pushed him to reach his potential out of her concern for the less fortunate (Wright 56). Moreover, Mrs. Dalton wanted to give Bigger the chance to further his education through night school, like Green. Bigger had people, like Mrs. Dalton, supporting him, which was a luxury many colored people probably did not possess. Mr. Dalton was...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how people undeserving of sympathy attain it unjustly, such as bigger thomas in richard wright's native son.
- Analyzes how bigger acts the way he does because of the white community's influence on him.
- Analyzes how the white community influenced how black people acted back in the early nineteen hundreds.
701 wordsRead More - Justice G. Draftanalytical essayThroughout “Native Son” Richard Wright makes Biggers actions huge statement. He makes it clear that the time period in which it is plays a huge role in which bigger acts. From the way bigger thinks all up to the points in which bigger accidentally kills Mary and purposefully kills Bessie. The time period in which Richard Wright wrote this novel you can see that he made sure to include how the racism in Chicago was not the same as it was in the south but it was the same form. Richard Wright experienced the real worst type of racism and segregation we as to you couldn’t even look at a white girl let alone be in the same car with her. You could also tell that the time in which Richard Wright had grew up in and bigger were in were totally different by this although they experienced some of the same things. Such as with the job situation for an example. You can say that what bigger was going through is related to some what we go through today. We experience some of the...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how richard wright uses imagery to tell and paint the picture of what bigger was going through and how he felt the time period affected him as a person.
- Analyzes how richard wright's imagery draws you in to the point where you just want to read more. wright knew that the time period would eventually change and everyone wouldn't think the same.
- Analyzes how the time period in which richard wright wrote "native son" plays a huge role in how bigger acts.
- Analyzes how richard wright gives us all types of insights on how bigger thinks internally and externally.
- Opines that the book was written as a wakeup call to show whites that what they were doing to blacks was not the right way to go about things.
- Analyzes how fear shows us how bigger was within the time period. he was afraid of everything literally, but at the same time the fear of doing something wrong was causing him to do the unthinkable without him noticing it.
- Analyzes how richard wright uses the time period to show us how bigger had to make his decisions. it also gives us insight into how blacks as a whole thought back then.
- Opines that richard wright's book relayed a message about how he felt and stuff, to let us blacks know that "hey it was racism back here to you are not the only person who had to go through this."
1236 wordsRead More - Racial Discrimination And Racism In Native Son By Richard Wrightanalytical essayAs long as he and his black folks did not go beyond certain limits, there was no need to fear that white force.”(114). Because of his notion that white society is the same; Bigger hates Mary despite her attempts to befriend him. Bigger expresses this to Mr. Max when he says, “White folks and black folks is strangers. We don’t know what each other is thinking. Maybe she was trying to be kind; but she didn’t act like it. To me she looked and acted like all other white folks...” (351). Wright does not blame Bigger for his generalization of white people, and he makes it clear that his mindset is due to the great black-white divide rooted within American society, and to the suffering Bigger has experienced from some white people. However, Wright shares a unique
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how richard wright's native son is a heartbreaking story of the racial oppression that spread throughout chicago and america during the 1930s.
- Analyzes how wright describes the racially oppressive character of the law enforcement systems in chicago, and how mr. dalton's private investigator britten represents this racism.
- Analyzes how the tribune article titled "negro rapist faints at inquest" illustrates the deeply rooted racism in american society in the 1930s.
- Analyzes how wright's description of racism is captivating, but not new. the sad racial situation of the 1930s in america is well documented. wright acknowledges racism to large misunderstandings between both blacks and whites.
- Analyzes how wright doesn't blame bigger for his generalization of white people, but shares a unique perspective.
- Analyzes how each example of racism is tied together at the climax of the novel in max's speech when he says, "injustice is an accomplished fact of life."
- Analyzes how bigger's body parts are portrayed as the perpetrators when he commits violence. even bessie’s murder is represented as something out of his control.
- Analyzes how bigger expresses an abnormal sense of accomplishment with regards to his murders. this shows how deeply he is affected by his perception of white society.
- Analyzes how wright argues that bigger's actions were guided by what he believed white people expected of him.
- Argues that the story of bigger thomas and the heartless racial oppression he faced is a story far too normal in american history.
1286 wordsRead More - SHaquavia Bellanalytical essayDue to the oppression at a social level, it forces Bigger to murder Mary Dalton when in her room that late night, “for he knows no white person would believe he was not trying to rape Mary.” “As Bigger tells Max, “They that… when folks say things like that about you, you whipped before you born.” “In this same conversation, Bigger’s sense of lifelong hopelessness is plain when he says, (Spotlight on Tragedy) “I don’t have to do nothing for ‘em to get me. The first white figure they point at me, I’m a goner, see?” (pg. 325
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the grave injustices of the jim crow era pushed wright and bigger into psychotic thoughts and actions.
- Analyzes how native son's reception reveals about the standards of taste and values that during the 1940s when the novel was published and reviewed is that for a novel about racial prejudices.
- Explains that the segregation principle was extended to parks, cemeteries, theatres, and restaurants in an effort to prevent contact between blacks and whites as equals.
- Analyzes wright's use of figurative language and diction in "native son" to depict the struggle of an african-american in the south of chicago.
- Analyzes how richard wright's use of diction is showcased in bigger throughout the story. the novel was published in 1940 under the genre african american literature, novel by harper.
- Opines that bigger thomas represents the oppressed in "spotlight on tragedy," arguing that he is a criminal lucky enough to grow up in the jim crow south.
1562 wordsRead More - Sympathy for a Murderer in Richard Wright's Native Sonanalytical essayIn Native Son, Richard Wright introduces Bigger Thomas, a liar and a thief. Wright evokes sympathy for this man despite the fact that he commits two murders. Through the reactions of others to his actions and through his own reactions to what he has done, the author creates compassion in the reader towards Bigger to help convey the desperate state of Black Americans in the 1930’s.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how richard wright introduces bigger thomas, a liar and thief, in native son, which conveys the desperate state of black americans in the 1930's.
- Analyzes how wright evokes sympathy by portraying the hatred and intolerance shown toward thomas as a black criminal.
- Analyzes how wright uses bigger's bewilderment to represent the confusion and desperation of black america.
- Analyzes how wright uses desperation throughout the novel to draw sympathy for bigger, a confused young man desperately seeking an escape. his brutal murder of bessie angers the reader.
- Explains rampersad, arnold, ed. richard wright: a collection of critical essays. englewood cliffs, nj: prentice hall, 1995.
- Analyzes how wright proves that black americans in the 1930s faced seemingly insurmountable challenges. he writes of the many families who were being persecuted during the search for bigger.
- Explains gates, henry louis, jr., and k. a. appiah, eds. richard wright: critical perspectives past and present.
1011 wordsRead More - Native Son Analysisanalytical essayIn the 1930s racial segregation was something that the society was used to but that did not make it any easier for the colored men and women. The whites were on one side of town with all of their homes and stores and the colored people had their side of town. Bigger lives in a tiny one roomed apartment with his younger brother, sister, and his mother; in order to change the boys have to go first while the women turn the other way and vice versa. In the white neighborhoods however the rich are very comfortable life, a life colored people only dream of, in large homes with maids and butlers that do all of the upkeep around the estate. Bigger and his family rely on welfare check in order to eat because his mother does not work. Bigger and his friends make money by robbing people because law enforcement does not pay any attention to black on black crime. This leads Bigger to want to perform his biggest heist ever with his friends, robbing Mr. Blum’s deli.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how wright captures the lifestyle of bigger thomas, a 19-year-old black boy, in his novel native son. death takes on several different meanings and interpretations.
- Explains that in the 1930s racial segregation was something that the society was used to but that did not make it any easier for the colored men and women.
- Analyzes how racism strips away any hope that colored people may have a better life and greater opportunities. bigger and his friend gus pretend to be respected members of society in their spare time.
- Analyzes how the death of mary dalton is a powerful and influential act in bigger thomas' life.
- Analyzes how bigger thomas' killing of mary dalton changed him and gave him a sense of satisfaction.
- Analyzes how bigger thinks bessie will hold him from his flight so he kills her. this act of violence promotes charles darwin's theory of survival of the fittest.
- Analyzes how death takes the form in its literal sense taking three victims with it. mary dalton, bessie, and bigger died.
- Analyzes how death takes on many forms throughout the novel and changes the way people act. the death of equality, slander, and racism plays a large role in bigger’s turning point.
1156 wordsRead More - Bigger's Summary: Causes Of The Death Of Maryanalytical essayDue to the way Bigger views whites, his motivation for killing Mary is that it serves him a higher purpose. The fact that Mary is white, is mainly what triggers Bigger to feel shame and fear. You’ve got to remember, Bigger views whites people as a great big natural white force. Considering that Bigger killed Mary and gets away with it, gives him gives him a sense of pride because he can act one way while still doing what he pleases. He believes that killing Mary accounts for all things that the white force has done to him and that is his key to motivation.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how bigger's motivation was the way he viewed white america. he convinced himself that his whole life was meant for him to accomplish that one thing.
- Analyzes how bigger's motivation for killing mary is that it serves him a higher purpose.
- Analyzes how bigger felt elated after killing mary, as if he could take on the white america. if people always acted on feelings like these, the world would be deceived.
- Opines that bigger's actions were a total accident, but how he acted towards it is based on his stupidity and cleverness.
- Analyzes how richard wright portrays bigger as a sympathetic character because he wants us to sympathize for his struggles.
- Analyzes how bigger felt like a useless black boy with no goals in life because he viewed himself the way society did. after killing mary, his inner conflict was finally resolved.
- Analyzes how bigger murdered bessie without feeling any remorse because he had the urge to satisfy his need to kill.
- Opines that in order for people to have control over their lives, they need emotional and mental strength.
- Opines that mr. dalton's donation of ping-pong tables to the youth center is short-sighted because it harms the children more than helps them.
804 wordsRead More - Essay On Differences Between Native Son And Natural Born Killersanalytical essayAs Bigger is trying to dispose of Mary’s body he questions if he should just run away. Bigger knows that “he could not. He must not. He had to burn this girl” (Wright 92). Bigger is aware that he has to get rid of Mary’s body for the same reason he had to kill her. Once Mrs. Dalton walked into Mary’s room, her white presence caused Bigger to act based on how society would react. Bigger knew that if he had been found in a room alone with a white girl he would be killed. From what Bigger knew about white society he would be killed if was caught in the room alone with Mary. He was put in a positon by society that left him no other option but to kill. Bigger knew that no matter the circumstances, the crime would fall on him because “he was black and had been alone in a room where a white girl had been killed; therefore he had killed her” (Wright 106). Whether his crime was accidental or not he knew that because of the image given to black people, especially black men, in the community that the blame would be put on him. In the room that night, both Bigger and Mary were only reacting in the way that society had expected them to. They were not individuals anymore, they represented the more powerful forces of the black and white society, acting as they had been told to. Bigger was unable to defend himself because society had already determined death as his
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how richard wright's novel native son and oliver stone’s film natural born killers focus on the act of murder.
- Analyzes how mickey and mallory's anger is fueled by the abuse they experienced during childhood. the sitcom portrays the act of sexual and physical violence as something people can laugh at.
- Analyzes how the media's promotion of violence causes mickey and mallory to become celebrities for the crimes they have committed. the public doesn't recognize them as criminals anymore because of their constant exposure to violence.
- Analyzes how society has made murder seem so natural that people who don't live through violence are thought to be already dead. mickey sees that most people have committed some sin or something in their past that they deserve to die for.
- Analyzes how the film emphasizes the depth of society's conditioning through camera angles and close up shots in black and white.
- Analyzes how bigger thomas and his family are trapped by the four walls of their apartment and the divide around their community.
- Analyzes how bigger lives in a world that is constantly telling him that he has no chance of success. the poster symbolizes uncle sam, the representation of american society.
- Explains that white and black societies are conditioned to be blind to one another's way of life. the blindness society has caused creates an unnecessary divide between mary and bigger.
- Analyzes how bigger killed mary because society had left him no other choice. he knew that if he was found alone with a white girl, the crime would fall on him.
2160 wordsRead More