Native Son

It's a wonder how at thirteen I was able to read Native Son by Richard Wright, which is a relatively substantial novel that spans about 500 pages. Truth is I had no deep understanding of the book until this year, in this second semester of my third year in the university. It was introduced as part of the text to read for a course titled: African American Literature.

The content of this book actually brought up an argument in class today during the course of its analysis and till this moment, we've all decided to hold on to what we think about it since no one wants to accept the other's opinion. Anyway it was a fun class as even the professor learnt from our different perspectives of the happenings in the book.

Many said the work was to be analyzed from the point of view of blacks and how the racism in the society affected them, causing them to live in fear which always resulted in making bad decisions as in the case of Bigger Thomas. But I analyzed mine critically by using psychoanalytic theory as applied by Sigmund Freud.

Synopsis(spoilers)

The book is divided into three parts: Fear, Flight, and Fate.

Part One: Fear

The novel begins with Bigger Thomas, a 20 year old African American living in a one room apartment with his family in Chicago's South Side. Bigger feels trapped in his life of poverty and limited opportunities. In his reluctant search for a job, he is hired as a chauffeur by the wealthy white Dalton family.

On his first night, Bigger drives Mary Dalton, the daughter, to meet her boyfriend, Jan Erlone, who is a communist. They( Mary and Jan) go out drinking, and when Bigger brings Mary back home, she is too drunk to make it to her room by herself. Bigger helps her to her room, but as he is putting her to bed, Mary's blind mother, Mrs Dalton, enters the room. Afraid of being caught and probably accused of terrible behavior, Bigger accidentally smothers Mary to death using a pillow in a bid to keep her quiet.

Part Two: Flight

Realizing he has killed Mary, Bigger panics and decides to cover up his crime. He cuts off her head, burns her body in the furnace and attempts to create a plan that will make it seem like Mary was kidnapped. He writes a ransom note, trying to extort money from the Daltons. However, the plan unravels when Mary's bones are found in the furnace. Bigger flees, but he is eventually caught by the police after a manhunt. During his flight, he also kills his girlfriend, Bessie, fearing she will betray him after learning of the incident.

Part Three: Fate

Bigger is captured and put on trial for the murder of Mary Dalton. His lawyer, Boris Max, argues that Bigger's actions were the result of systemic racism and the oppressive environment in which he lived, which denied him any sense of agency or opportunity. Despite Max's efforts to humanize Bigger and explain the social forces that shaped him, Bigger is convicted and sentenced to death.

In the end, Bigger begins to reflect on his life and the possibility of understanding himself and his actions within the context of a deeply racist society.

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Our argument in class stemmed from the fact that the topic of sexual assault was raised because Bigger actually sexually assaulted Mary by touching her boobs and kissing her. But, some people said she paved the path for the assault as she had flashed a greenlight before Bigger, signaling that she liked him. I don't care if Mary flashed all the greenlights in the world to prove she liked Bigger, the fact that he took advantage of her drunken state is an offense.

^screenshot

Secondly, I don't care whatever he must have been going through as a Black living in a racist white society, he shouldn't have tried to keep Mary quiet. What's there to just tell her blind mother she was drunk and couldn't make it up the stairs by herself?

It's a fact that blacks were going through hell as in 1940 when this book was first published but I don't think it's enough reason to try to hush a drunk girl just to remain invisible.

Native son is one book that sparks curiosity in many, it is also upsetting especially in Biggers part.

I know fear can make people do terrible things and then look for possible means to wipe off trails at the end of the day but in the case of Bigger, I think that if Mrs Dalton had found him in her room that night, and maybe said a word that suggested he was assaulting her daughter(if he wasn't), I think he would have just served jail terms. It wouldn't have been as bad as being sentenced to life.