Bigger Thomas

A detailed Summary of Bigger Thomas

Discussing his own ineffable nature as a writer, Richard Wright admits,"Always there is something that is just beyond the tip of the tongue that could explain it all."(433) as well as the fact that, "Reluctantly, he (the writer) comes to the conclusion that to account for his book is to account for his life, and he knows that is impossible."(434) Despite his humbleness, Wright does not fall short of his unobtainable goal in Native Son, for its main character, Bigger Thomas, is as hauntingly conceptual as he is real. This is a feat which provides for the jarring social commentary hidden in Bigger's actions and words. Central to the novel's purpose, they assist in defining Bigger as a helpless product of the world in which he lives in, but never really partakes in. Not only does Bigger's duality allow him to exist as the bearer of Wright's political and social agenda, but also as the amalgamation of Wright's most personal and profound experiences, which give Bigger his edge of humanity, however jagged it may be. Once one learns of Wright's history and the messages he tries to convey to the reader, Bigger's harsh nature should be nothing less than expected. However, considering that up until a few years ago N

Although Bigger was reacting out of fear when he humiliated Gus, at the same time, Bigger was also feeding off the fear he instilled in Gus. Whether he was aware of it or not, Bigger was on some sort of perverse power trip, and once he started intimidating Gus, he could not get enough. This is because in the grand scheme of society Bigger's position was one so lowly that when he was given the opportunity to have a little power he jumped at it, no matter what the cost. As a result, Bigger contemplates robbing the white convenient store, so he, for a few brief yet self-gratifying moments, can transform into the rebel he wants to be and exert his new-found power over a white man. As Wright's narrative points out, "...the thought of the job at Blum's and...his self-trust was gone. Confidence could only come again now through action so violent that it would make him forget."(29) In the end, Bigger decides not to go through with the robbery, because he realizes that once he has crossed the line over to white territory and committed a transgression, the police will stop at nothing to capture him.

From a figurative stand point, Bigger is created by Wright as an ominous metaphor for what the black man in what was then contemporary America could possibly become. Throughout the span of Wright's lifetime, he knew quite a few Bigger Thomases, many of whom he combined to form the character in Native Son. These rebellious men were alike, in that, "They consistently violated the Jim Crow laws of the South and got away with it. Eventually, the whites who restricted their lives made them pay a terrible price."(437) Unlike the other men, Bigger Thomas's freedom is short lived because of the extreme nature in which he achieves it. During the murder trial, Max bluntly states about Bigger, that, "Every time he comes in contact with us, he kills!...every movement of his body is an unconscious protest...his very existence is a crime against the state!"(400) Max might as well have been speaking about the entire black population, because he goes on to warn the judge of the impending doom the United States is headed for if black men like Bigger continue to be undermined and ignored. In his own words, "...another civil war in these states is not impossible; and if...men of wealth and property are misre

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Approximate Word count = 1547
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: People