Native Son
Native Son: Character Actions Defines Their IndividualRichard Wright's novel, Native Son, consisted of various main andsupporting character to deliver an effective array ofpersonalities and expression. Each character's 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 white's and black's 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. His
Dalton asks Bigger about his past crimes, which made Biggerfeel pressured. She briefly escapes with the use of alcohol whichBigger provides her in exchange for "love". This fear arose because ofthe non physical barriers, set up by society, between white andblack people. Bessie circumstances prevent her from going any farther inher life. By taking Bigger's case pro-bono, Max shows two aspects of hisnature, charity and a need to defend the oppressed. After everyone found out Bigger had killed Mary, Bigger ran to Bessie, his girlfriend's, house. These various conflicts all stem from fear and racialhatred. While receivingdistrust from those around him, Jan retains a simple belief in theequality for all men, regardless of social class or race. Perhaps they act out of the same misguided need forfreedom that Bigger found when committing murder. Bigger realized that he could not take Bessie with him or leaveher behind and concluded that killing her could provide her only"merciful" end. s from being caught in the act of doingsomething socially unacceptable and being the subject ofpunishment. Daltonattempt to correct their wrongs by donating to various blackcharities. The fear of being caught with awhite woman overwhelmed his common sense and dictated hisactions. And when Bigger picks on his friend, Gus, it ismainly out of fear of robbing Mr.
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