Native Son

A detailed Summary of Native Son

What is the American Dream? The answer for everyone will be different, but based upon personal experience and observation, the American Dream is the ability to be happy in life. Bigger Thomas was not happy in life. This is obvious from the beginning when Bigger talks about his family life and the situation that they are in. "He hated his family because he knew that they were suffering and that he was powerless to help them. He knew that the moment he allowed himself to feel to its fullness how they lived, the shame and the misery of their lives, he would be swept out of himself with fear and despair. [ 13 ] Even though Bigger Thomas thought he had it so bad in life, he was not so helpless as to realize the American Dream of happiness, he simply could not control himself long enough to reach for it.

First, Bigger Thomas was given chances in his life to make things better for himself and his family. Mr. Dalton was a white gentlemen who was going to give Bigger a job. "You going to take that job ain't you, Bigger?" his mother asked. "I told you last night I was going to take it. How many times you want to ask me?" "You know you have to see Mr. Dalton at five-thirty," his mother said. [ 14 ] Bi

Bigger Thomas believed that money could bring him happiness and he would never have to worry again. "I bet that sonofabitch a million bucks in graft a year. Boy, if I was in his shoes for just one day I'd never have to worry again." Not only that Bigger Thomas also had a group of friends with who he planned to rob a delicatessen. By robbing people that was how Bigger obtained money. Bigger Thomas knew that it was a crime to rob people. He was nervous about ruining what happiness he had by failing the robbery and being caught. He could not openly admit this fear to his friends, so Bigger decided to try and make another of his friends "whimp out" to save his happiness. "He hoped the fight her had with Gus covered up what he was trying to hide." [ 43 ] Bigger had not really wanted to rob the delicatessen and covered that up by fighting with Gus.

Bigger Thomas also had a very pessimistic outlook on life that added to the fact that he was never happy. Bigger Thomas was too lazy to be educated about the racial situation around him and blamed everything on the fact that he was black and everyone else was white. "I don't know. I just feel that way. Every time I get to thinking about me being black and they being white, me being here and they being there, I feel like something awful's going to happen to me,..." [ 23 ] Bigger had a negative outlook on the job that was presented to him as well. He was so quick to become angry. The anger that would swell up inside of Bigger would affect the way he thought

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1026
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English