Yes, it is time. Native Son by Richard Wright is another one of those books (much like 1984 and Of Mice and Men) that I was somehow never forced to read in school, and am just now getting around to in my adult life. It actually did not spend too long in my to-read pile, but it was still a struggle to pick up. Throughout history, feelings toward this book have always been complicated, and now I certainly understand why.
The Situation: In 1930s Chicago, Bigger Thomas lives in a one-room apartment with his mother, little brother Buddy, and little sister Vera. Their building is situated in the city's Black Belt, and is owned and operated by the South Side Real Estate Company. Bigger is to report to the home of Mr. Dalton, the owner of the company, for a job, though he less than interested. He resents his current position as a poor black man with no money, power, education, and as he sees it, freedom. Working for the rich white man who owns the apartment building that he hates living in is not what he wants. He would rather continue to earn his money through the petty crimes he commits with his friends. And when he reports to work, he finds that Mr. and Mrs. Dalton are nice enough, as is Peggy, the housemaid. But he immediately dislikes Mary, the Dalton's rebellious daughter, and when he is tasked with driving her to an event at the university, Bigger's life takes the turn he was always afraid it would.
The Problem: Though he was never above stealing, public indecency, and bullying his closest friends, murder was never in the plan. When he kills Mary in a moment of panic, Bigger must work fast if he hopes to save himself, and being a young black man in 1930s Chicago, if he is caught for what he has done, he will be executed for sure. It would be easy to believe that committing murder is hitting rock bottom, and yet Bigger manages to spiral even further downward, as the more he attempts to cover his tracks, the more mistakes he makes, and the more destruction he causes. Even so, Bigger maintains that he can plan and scheme his way out of it, that he can outsmart everyone, and that he can hold onto the power and freedom that he now feels, for possibly the first time in his life. But with everything that has already happened, the story is only beginning.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction book set in Chicago during a time when Jim Crow laws were heavily and enthusiastically enforced. In the author's explanation of how he came up with the character of Bigger Thomas, he explains the he was not based on any one person, but on several examples of a type of person the author had encountered throughout his life. Bigger is unhappy with his life, his place in society, what it means to a black man, and that most everything he wants out of life will remain out of reach because of white people who are determined to keep it that way. He justifies the terrible way he treats his friends, his family, members of the community, and eventually his actions when attempting to save himself from discovery after killing Mary. Told in three sections, labeled 'Fear,' 'Flight,' and 'Fate,' the events of the story take place over the course of mere days, with most of the action occurring upfront, and an explanation of how someone like Bigger could exist coming near the end. Citing feelings of hopelessness, the character of Bigger is given a depth that readers have puzzled over since the book's publication in 1940.
My Verdict: 'Complicated' is certainly the word to describe almost every aspect of this book. The word applies to the character of Bigger, the main plot, the author's approach, and certainly readers' reception of the story, both then and now. While the acts that Bigger commits throughout the book are only ever condoned by him, an explanation is provided for how such a person could exist and why he would do what he does. But whether the reader or critic wants to accept that explanation is up to them. As for me, I get what the book is saying (I think), but I am not entirely sure it is successful in what it is trying to do. Make no mistake, Bigger is a terrible person. Yes, he has been dealt a terrible hand in life, and oppression mixed with hopelessness can lead to people doing terrible things. Unfortunately, Bigger is someone who makes a huge mistake, and has also knowingly committed (and enjoyed) terrible acts before that. He is a difficult character to approach with grace and understanding, so yeah, it's complicated.
Favorite Moment: There are brief moments when Bigger admits, if only to himself, that he is afraid. It is this fear the fuels almost everything he does.
Favorite Character: I am not sure if she is my favorite really, but the character I feel for the most is Bigger's mother.
Recommended Reading: Both Dear Justyce by Nic Stone and Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi would be great books for follow-up.
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