Native Son by Richard Wright
The critical essay on native son by Richard Wright explores the suppressed life and existence of black Americans through the protagonist Bigger Thomas. Bigger revolts against the white majority and a white dominated world through rebellious and heinous acts that lead him to a disastrous fate in which he ends up in the electric chair. The novel and stories show the psychological aspect of how a white dominated world in which the blacks have to survive suppresses their life in every aspect and thus shaping them in to senseless beings that have no morals and sense of what is right or wrong.
Bigger grows up in a minority community of blacks where he learns nothing but sheer hatred for the white majority because of the suppression that they impose upon black people (61). Bigger commits murder while trying to cover up his presence in Mary’s room, and thereafter, tries to escape due to fear of being caught. But before he tries to make his getaway he decides to murder Bessie Mears. Bessie is his long time black girlfriend, whom he fears might give him away if investigations were to arise.
The whole story tries in one way or another to portray the kind of suppression that blacks undergo in a society dominated by a white majority. The author of this story deviates from the conventional way such stories are typically told. Unlike most authors that would illustrate injustices committed against blacks and thereafter, depict a violent retaliation and later try to justify or nullify its credibility, the author shows a different aspect of the racial relation and tries to show the cause of the tension, its origin and manifestation. Wright manages to do so in a different and very distinct manner-this time introducing savagery and violent activism (78).
Bigger is portrayed both as a victim and hero in the story. On one side, Wright seemingly lauds and approves his actions by justifying them based on Bigger’s past experience as an oppressed black child always looking forward to a moment to vent his anger against a perceived oppressive enemy-the white majority. Wright portrays the black man as an oppressed entity with little room, if any for self expression and dignity. The black man is left with very few options in the presence of the white-and these are akin to the flight or fright options-to which he reacts and acts with little thought due to past pre-conditioning.
In some instances Bigger appears to be the hero and his extremities in terms of action are mitigated by Wright’s portrayal of not only the threatening situation that warrants his reaction, but also the past that has created in him the animal that he has become. From a social protest stance Bigger seems to be somewhat justified if the context of the situation is related to his past experiences (62). Growing up in a society full of suppression and fear of the unknown associated with a particular group only predisposes one to reactionary measures when s/he encounters certain situations in which his past conceptions materialize. Bigger’s murderous actions may be seen as a form of reaction to an imminent danger and thus they do not appear to be pre-meditated, but rather a reaction to a feeling of vulnerability (84).
The vulnerability felts in Mary’s room coupled by his past experiences and knowledge were enough to elicit and defensive action, which in this case resulted into murder. Additionally, when he feels threatened by potential exposure from his girlfriend he feels that has no choice, but to react in a similar manner, and thus ends up killing his girlfriend (182). Wright tries throughout the plot of the story to portray the role that society carries with regard to the occurrences in which Bigger finds himself in. In fact Bigger plainly states that society had a role in his actions. Bigger’s deed is not good and should not have been committed, but its is shown that the class based and racist was responsible for his actions thus implying that he played a minor role in his actions in terms of responsibility because he had little influence over his decisions and actions even when he saw them coming (95).
In this regard Wright portrays Bigger as a victim simply acting from a defensive stance which is reactionary in nature and pre-conditioned by his environment. However, this implicit exoneration is nullified by the murder that he commits against a fellow black person. Bigger murders his black girlfriend, thus bringing to question any assertions that his reactions were a result of perceived oppression.
At some point Bigger perceives his acts as acts of redemption offer him a true identity in a world within which he has lost the sense of self. After the murder of Mary Bigger feels reborn and after the murder of Bessie he feels invigorated and whole. This feeling after committing the murders makes Bigger’s actions sound even stranger. Apparently, there seems to be no remorse in his feelings and this portrays the senseless brute that he has become. Wright portrays this through his introduction of Bessie’s murder. The murder of Bessie breaks any justification for Bigger’s actions because there is no racial backed justification behind it. Killing a fellow black person in order to escape guilt and avoid being given away is a blatant evil and bad act that warrants no justification the Bigger’ s context (92). The fact that Bigger feels good after the act is both strange and mystifying.
Wright’s work is a portrayal of a totally broken society that has no morals whatsoever or regard for and this fate may be attributed to racism. Throughout racist sentiments emerge as the main cause of the hatred that is bred amongst people. This hatred is portrayed as being irreparable and dangerous. Despite the humane spirit left in a few people such as Mary Dalton, bringing about racial perception changes becomes a difficult thing. This may be exemplified by Bigger’s brutality against Mary Dalton. Despite her goodness and trials to befriend Bigger, he still murders her in cold blood.
Bigger is brutal and hot tempered because of the past that he has led and changing his mindset is almost impossible due to his already developed and rooted evil nature (69). The story portrays how positive nurturing of a child is an essential developmental aspect in determining a person’s future and it’s also becomes apparent that changing an already developed and rooted evil or deviant behavior is difficult thing in society. Notably, the victims or heroes as portrayed in the story are not able to control their habits, thus suggesting the necessity external intervention that may be only made possible through love and a complete redefinition of relations among people of different races.
References
Byrant, H. J. (1997),. Richard Wright and Bigger Thomas: Grace in Damnation. Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism, volume 138. Detroit: Gale, 2003. LiteratureResourceCenter
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