Bigger's Purpose Throughout Native Son
Throughout Richard Wright's Native Son Bigger displays many different attitudes towards what he wants to do with his life. Initially, he seems discouraged from creating any long-term goals and focuses more on the present. In the first scene, he was reluctant to tell his mother that he was going to take the job, and immediately used a portion of the money she gave him on a game of pool and to watch a movie. He also considered just robbing Mr. Blum's store and continuing to steal to sustain himself because he just didn't want to take a job. At this point in time, to the reader, it seems that he mostly partakes in activities that he wants to do and give him gratification. But why does Bigger feel this way? Why does his attitude towards purpose change throughout the book?
When Bigger speaks with Max he opens up and explains that he had ambitions when he was younger, but has since lost them because he is not given any liberty in society besides religious freedom. Bigger wanted to become a pilot but was denied simply for the way he looks. For most of his life, this appeared to create discouragement. Although additionally, Bigger created anger from the way society treated him. Anger was the reason that he killed Mary. Bigger says, "Mr. Max, I didn't mean to do what I did. I was trying to do something else. But it seems like I never could. I was always wanting something and I was feeling that nobody would let me have it. So I fought 'em. I thought they was hard and I acted hard." This quote shows how Bigger wanted to do bigger things but was restricted by white society. After he killed, Bigger said he felt a sense of freedom and fulfillment, but it was only a temporary rush.
Only when Max talks with Bigger does he really find a long-term meaning for his life. Wright writes, "but in Max's asking of those question he had felt a recognition of his life, of his feelings of his person that he had never encountered before. What was this?" Max was the first person to ever talk to him about his goals for life. Max gave him hope. Bigger wanted to find out if the "white looming mountain of hate were not a mountain at all." He found hope in the idea of understanding other people and their motives. Before, he had just played along in the white society. He only did things he could figure out himself. He knew that pool and movies were fun, but didn't know anything beyond basic enjoyment. Before he discovered hope, Bigger did not even want to take part in the court trial. Afterwards, he could not get over the fact that he was going to die. Death meant an end to the possibility of understanding his newfound hope. This raises the question of how would Bigger's life had been if he had people to talk to when he was growing up instead of coming to this sudden realization in adulthood?
I think your exploration of Bigger's various attitudes and goals in life and how this was affected by not having been able to have a life with more listening ears was really great! I like how you followed his journey of having a very pessimistic outlook, to then realizing there is a bigger meaning in life; only he hasn't had to chance to find his own. I also think the way you developed your argument to relate to Max's profound effects on Bigger was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteYeah, his restricted situation kind of prevents him from finding a purpose because it's unsatisfying for him to pursue anything society would actually allow him to do.
ReplyDeleteGiven all the criticism about Wright not granting Bigger a complex consciousness, it is worth reminding readers that his character does undergo some pretty profound changes in the final pages of the book, and you raise a good question: would it be possible for Bigger to achieve this shift in consciousness *without* having to kill and be sentenced to death in order to do so? We see how the act of killing gives him a new view of reality in Book 2, this fleeting feeling of freedom and invulnerability. And the death sentence seems to prompt these new philosophical speculations, as Bigger's inevitable death becomes very real and immediate (which, combined with the solitude of the cell, can lead naturally to questions of existence and what it all means). It is a painful irony in this book, as we see Bigger become more reflective and generous of spirit at the end of his story, but it's not clear that Wright believes he would have gotten there, living his life as he had been living it. It's an unexpected reaction to the unintentional crime and its punishment.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting how you noted that Bigger's ambitions could have led to a successful career, but were quickly put down because he doesn't have the same liberties as other citizens. Because of this environment he grew up in, he was almost meant to kill Mary and was meant to fail, as dictated by society. I thought it was important that you mentioned how Bigger decided not to follow his aspirations because they seemed unattainable. No matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to get over this "white looming mountain of hate." Max helped him to understand other people and thus, understand himself better, reducing this "mountain of hate" to an attainable goal. One that he may have had the time to achieve if he had realized this earlier. Fascinating post! Good job, Lukas!
ReplyDelete