Native Son Character Actions Defines Their Individual Essay Example For Students

Native Son: Character Actions Defines Their Individual Essay Personalities and Belief SystemsRichard Wrights novel, Native Son, consisted of various main andsupporting character to deliver an effective array ofpersonalities and expression. Each characters actions definestheir individual personalities and belief systems. The maincharacter of Native Son, Bigger Thomas has personality traitsspanning various aspect of human nature including actionsmotivated by fear, quick temper, and a high degree ofintelligence.Bigger, whom the novel revolves around, portraysvarious personality elements through his actions. Many of his action suggest an overriding response to fear, whichstems from his exposure to a harsh social climate in which a clearline between acceptable behavior for whites and blacks exists. His swift anger and his destructive impulses stem from that fearand becomes apparent in the opening scene when he fiercely attacksa huge rat. The same murderous impulse appears when his secretdread of the delicatessen robbery impels him to commit a viciousassault on his friend Gus. Bigger commits both of the brutalmurders not in rage or anger, but as a reaction to fear. Histypical fear stems from being caught in the act of doingsomething socially unacceptable and being the subject ofpunishment. Although he later admits to Max that Mary Daltonsbehavior toward him made him hate her, it is not that hate whichcauses him to smother her to death, but a feeble attempt to evadethe detection of her mother. The fear of being caught with awhite woman overwhelmed his common sense and dictated hisactions. When he attempted to murder Bessie, his motivation camefrom intense fear of the consequences of letting her live. Bigger realized that he could not take Bessie with him or leaveher behind and concluded that killing her could provide her onlymerciful end. The emotional forces that drive Bigger are conveyed by means otherthan his words. Besides reactions to fear, his actions demonstratean extremely quick temper and destructive impulse as an integralpart of his nature. Rage plays a key part in his basic nature,but does not directly motivate the murders he commits. Rage doesnot affect Biggers intelligence and quick thinking and it becomesevident during the interview with Briton. The detective makesBigger so angry that the interrogation becomes a game to Bigger,a game of logic and wills, of playing the stupid negro, andtelling the man exactly what he wants to hear. The game Biggerplays during the interrogation shows his great intelligence andability to think quickly on his feet. Bigger also displayed hisintelligence in the creation of the ransom note. Using thesituation to his advantage, Bigger wrote a ransom note to extortMarys parents for money. To make the note even more convincingand to dissuade blame from himself, Bigger signs the no te with thecommunist symbol of a hammer and sickle. Although the book revolves around Bigger he possesses few goodqualities, which get his horrendous actions negate, making him ananti-hero. He possess the violent tendencies to commit rape,extortion of the dead girls parents, robbing, and killing innocentpeople. These traits do not portray a simple victim ofcircumstance, but a habitual criminal acting out against asociety. While Bigger dominates the story, his appalling actionsmake him a man that the reader can not look upon as a hero. Infact the author punishes the anti-hero character by condemning himto death for his crimes. One of the two most sympathetic characterizations of white personsin the novel comes from the character of Jan Erlone, Mary Daltonsfriend. He exhibits an enthusiastic personality and represents anidealistic young organizer for the Communist party. Marysparents and their servant Peggy distrust his motives. Biggerinitially expresses a distaste for reds when responding to Jansfriendly advances during their first meeting. While receivingdistrust from those around him, Jan retains a simple belief in theequality for all men, regardless of social class or race. Throughout Jans first meeting with Bigger, he regards Bigger withthe utmost respect. During the course of the night, Jan sits inthe front of the car with Bigger, eats with him, drinks with him,and speaks to him as an equal. Those actions of equality portraymore than a decent man, it shows that Jans character possesses astrong sense of morality and honesty. Jan is also characterizedby other heroic traits, forgiveness and understanding. As aninteresting twist of fate, Jan gets Bigger an attorney, anddemonstrates that he could forgive Bigger for implicating him forMarys kidnapping. The Battle With Grendels Mother EssayThemesFrustration and hopelessness develop as major themes of thestory. When Bigger and his friend Gus watch a sky writing plane,Bigger expresses frustration in his statement I could fly one ofthem things if I had a chance. Discussing the impossibility ofaccomplishment in the white-controlled world, Bigger expresseshopelessness, saying, They dont let us do nothing. When Gusreminds Bigger that they have always known this, Bigger agrees,but insists that he cannot accustom himself to it. Every time Ithink about it, he says, I feel like somebodys poking a red-hotiron down my throat. Today a good example of the same type offrustration can be seen on the various music videos done by blackartists. These video portray, poor education and a lack ofopportunities afforded to blacks. Oppression, hate, and the separatism between whites and blacksalso arises as a main theme. Bigger represents the oppressed butrebellious black, in contrast the Daltons represent naive whites,and Jan and Max represent the oppressed communists. These variouscharacters hate each other without comprehend the underlyingsocial cause. Only the oppressed groups come to help and forgiveeach other by the end of the novel, while the oppressors stillasking for bitter vengeance. The separatism become obvious whileBigger when sits in the car with Mary and Jan. He feels afraidand uncomfortable being treated like an equal and being allowed tosit near them. This separatism also made his oppressors blindlyignorant of the realities of social oppression. Separatismaffects both sides of the color line. The characters considereach other as separate entities, never interacting on an equalbasis. Social ignorance allows the scapegoating of Bigger, tovent the anger and rage built up from by many years of tens ionbetween the races. A good example of separatism and oppression inour area shows up in the conflicts between Whites and Cubans. Arguments about English as the official language as the officiallanguage of the US represent the manifestations of this conflict. A notable theme that the author portrays through Biggers actionscome from the true meaning of freedom to the oppressed. Biggersdiscovered freedom came to him in two instances, in both caseswhile committing murder. With the death of Mary Dalton, Biggerstarts to realize that for the first time he has gone against thelaw. Breaking the proverbial barrier and the proper limits ofwhat a black man can do in society he is no longer controlled orrestrained by another mans rules. This idea expands to note thatwhen Bigger himself defines the rules, he makes himself free. Interestingly serial killers in our society have multiplied, acommon trait that they all possess is abuse in their earlylifetime. Perhaps they act out of the same misguided need forfreedom that Bigger found when committing murder. Authors BeliefsBigger, his family, and Bessie all feel the affects of separatismand oppression. Richard Wright believes in the immorality ofoppression. He uses his book as a tool to vent his frustration,at the world that segregates negros. His characters, themes andconflicts probably originate from his own experience ofseparatism. By using such a wide range of characters, he givesthe readers who are not black an insight into the horrificallydesperate situations many poor blacks experience. Biggers actions toward Jan and Mary portray his resignation tothe social inequity of the color barrier. He acts simply, as asubservient yessah. It appears the author believes the truewall of separation between whites and blacks is an almostimpassable division. Jan and Max base their decisions on the equality of man. Having amoral basis for action leads them to have a means to deal withoppression and the ability to hope. In contrast, Bigger acceptsseparatism as an immutable condition, and rebels against it bycommitting crimes. Bigger receives punishment for his actions. The author would appears to support socialist concepts as theproper rebellion against oppression. He seems to believe in theequality of men and the value of demonstrating it in everydayactions.