The novel, “Native Son” is a literary work that was written by Richard Wright. Native son talks about a young boy who is 20 years of age ‘Bigger Thomas’ who lived with his family.
In Richard Wright’s “Native Son,” Bigger Thomas is the oldest of three children. His brother, Buddy, is 15 years old, and his sister, Vera, is 12. Their mother, Mrs. Thomas, is indeed a single mother, raising her children alone in the harsh environment of the South Side of Chicago.
Bigger faces many struggles with few opportunities, which leads him to anger and desperation, making him commit heinous crimes that lead to his fate at the end of the novel.
In ‘Native Son’ Bigger Thomas a young African American lived a harsh life considering his background and environment he came from. Bigger Thomas searched for a job and got a well-paying job to work for Dalton’s family as Mary’s driver who is the only daughter of the Dalton’s.
Bigger Thomas met an unfortunate fate, killing Mary, the Dalton’s daughter accidentally out of fear and panic.
This singular act kept Bigger Thomas on the run and also led to the event of killing of his lover Bessie Mears in other to cover up for his previous crimes.
Considering the effect of racism and discrimination going on between the African Americans and the white race, these crimes by Bigger Thomas led to raging anger by the society who sought justice and created a stigma on black men as dangerous and violent.
The novel offers valuable insights into the historical context of systemic racism and the experiences, still, it doesn’t directly point out the racial injustices.
The writer did not also go deeper into the psychological and sociological factors that influence ‘Bigger Thomas’ actions. This could have provided a more clear understanding of the character’s motive and behaviour.
In the novel, sentences are clear and concise, and the writer’s style is all about getting straight to the point without any fancy language.
In the novel “Native Son”, Wright focuses more on Bigger’s upbringing and the racial injustice he faces. This points out more on being a victim of circumstances and environment rather than being responsible for his own actions or moral code, therefore, overlooking the fact that many African-Americans who, despite facing similar challenges and hardship, chose not to turn to violence or crime.
In chapter 6, page 15, Bigger makes statements like “What I killed for, I am!” And “They wouldn’t let me live, and I killed ’em for that”. Suggests he felt no remorse or empathy for his victims.
While it’s possible to argue that Bigger was a product of his environment and circumstances, these quotes make it hard to believe that he willingly chose to commit heinous crimes.
The writer didn’t focus much on the victims affected by Bigger’s crime, which was the Dalton’s. One could tell how painful it would be to lose an only child, rather the novel projected Bigger as a victim of circumstances.
One of the impacts of this novel is the fact that it exposes us to racism and discrimination that goes on in today’s society.
‘Native Son’ has a powerful narrative that exposes the realities and oppression in America. There are a lot of lessons In this novel. We can consider the experiences of these on the margins of society, which encourages empathy and understanding for others.
This novel also makes us understand how society and the environment can affect an individual’s psychologically. It is highly recommendable to read and broaden your knowledge.
