Communism: a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party. Everybody is equal. There is no segregation, no poor, and no rich. Ricard Wright is so fascinated with communism because he himself is black. His people were oppressed day and night. Blacks were socially contained to be lesser than whites, and in other words, if one was black then one's life was meaningless. Because of this inequality, Wright became attached to the idea of communism. A country without rich or poor. Everybody shared everything, meaning blacks would be on the same social standing as whites. If blacks were on the same social standing as whites, then there wouldn't be any segregation or oppression.
Bigger is actually more of a communist than he realizes. He actually does not understand what communism is, but only knows it is bad because other people say so. On page 115, it says, "He felt that one way to end fear and shame was to make all those black people act together. rule them, tell them what to do, and make them do it." That sounds a lot like communism, yet Bigger claims that communism is bad. Totalitarianism also appeals to him because he is fascinated with how Mussolini invaded Spain and how Hitler was killing the Jews. "He was not concerned with whether these acts were right or wrong; they simply appealed to him as possible avenues of escape" (Wright 115). Bigger only cares about how much power those dictators have in their hands, and he wants to have just as much power as they do, which essentially means he supports communism.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Native Son, Day 4&5 (pgs 97-156)
"Blackness". Blackness prevents one from freedom. Blackness forces one to submit to the white man. Blackness means one's life is meaningless and already set. Can't climb up the social latter, can't talk back to the white man, can't become whatever one wants to be. Blackness is a curse, a curse that is not removable, a curse that is obtained at birth. The only way to avoid the curse is to not be born black. But Bigger sees this "blackness" as a blessing, a blessing that opens up a road to freedom, power, and influence. Still, the power dynamics has not changed. Blacks are inferior to whites, and it is because of that that Bigger obtains the power of manipulation and "weapons that were invisible" (Wright 130).
Because of the social differences between whites and blacks, nobody would ever conceive of the idea of a black man lying to a white man, even less killing or touching a white woman. Blacks are scared of whites, so blacks will never go against whites, thus Bigger is automatically not guilty of anything done to them. Social disparity also means that white people have a good amount of pride, so they would not ask Bigger any questions that cross the social line and make whites rely on blacks. This pride glaringly shows when Mrs. and Mr. Dalton goes to Bigger's room to ask him what happened. Mrs. Dalton wants to ask more questions, but her pride prevents her. Bigger even explains, "She would be ashamed to let him think that something was so wrong in her family that she had to ask him, a black servant, about it" (Wright 128). Mrs. Dalton does not want to rely on a black man or else that would tarnish her pride as the superior rich white person and also as a hirer.
Other people are blind to the fact that a black man would attempt to rise up and hamper the social latter. White people do not expect Bigger, a black man, to have killed or done anything to Mary. Even though they are blind, Bigger used to be blind himself in Jan's perspective. When Bigger saw Buddy again, "Buddy was soft and vague; his eyes were defenseless and their glance went only to the surface of things" (Wright 108). Bigger saw his previous self in Buddy, a lonely and meaningless life. Bigger finally understood that this was how Jan viewed blacks.
Because of the social differences between whites and blacks, nobody would ever conceive of the idea of a black man lying to a white man, even less killing or touching a white woman. Blacks are scared of whites, so blacks will never go against whites, thus Bigger is automatically not guilty of anything done to them. Social disparity also means that white people have a good amount of pride, so they would not ask Bigger any questions that cross the social line and make whites rely on blacks. This pride glaringly shows when Mrs. and Mr. Dalton goes to Bigger's room to ask him what happened. Mrs. Dalton wants to ask more questions, but her pride prevents her. Bigger even explains, "She would be ashamed to let him think that something was so wrong in her family that she had to ask him, a black servant, about it" (Wright 128). Mrs. Dalton does not want to rely on a black man or else that would tarnish her pride as the superior rich white person and also as a hirer.
Other people are blind to the fact that a black man would attempt to rise up and hamper the social latter. White people do not expect Bigger, a black man, to have killed or done anything to Mary. Even though they are blind, Bigger used to be blind himself in Jan's perspective. When Bigger saw Buddy again, "Buddy was soft and vague; his eyes were defenseless and their glance went only to the surface of things" (Wright 108). Bigger saw his previous self in Buddy, a lonely and meaningless life. Bigger finally understood that this was how Jan viewed blacks.
Native Son, Day 3 (pgs 62-93)
Black people are trash. They cannot do anything. They will always submit to the white man. The white man does not care about what the blacks do as long as they do not approach the whites. That is the view of the time in the Native Son. Bigger, even though accidentally, manages to violate this relationship in every single form. He attempts to take sexual advantage over a white woman, kills her, burns her body, takes her money, and then tries to get out of the predicament.
On a social level, Bigger has trespassed his boundaries too far. To take advantage of a drunk white woman is already a ticket to getting killed. Sexual relations between whites and blacks are frowned upon, and in this case, the white person did not even agree to have sex, which in other words, is rape. Even before the rape, Bigger acts friendly with two white people. Blacks should always be inferior to whites, but Bigger shatters this concept and talks to Jan and Mary without honorifics.
On a more universal level, a person has killed another person, and that by itself is intolerable. But in this case, a black man has killed a white woman. A black man, a man who is inferior to whites, has killed a white woman. This shatters every rule the white man has set forth to contain the black man. Earlier in the novel, Bigger even states that white men don't care what happens between black men, but once that shifts to black committing a crime against whites, they start caring.
I do think Bigger realizes what he has done. "She was dead; she was white; she was a woman; he had killed her; he was black; he might be caught; he did not want to be caught; if he were they would kill him." (Wright 89) The quote explains that Bigger knows the consequences and the social barriers that he has violated. If not, he would not be able to say "They can't say I did it. If they do, they can't prove it" at the end of Book One because he would not know the social barriers that could help him.
On a social level, Bigger has trespassed his boundaries too far. To take advantage of a drunk white woman is already a ticket to getting killed. Sexual relations between whites and blacks are frowned upon, and in this case, the white person did not even agree to have sex, which in other words, is rape. Even before the rape, Bigger acts friendly with two white people. Blacks should always be inferior to whites, but Bigger shatters this concept and talks to Jan and Mary without honorifics.
On a more universal level, a person has killed another person, and that by itself is intolerable. But in this case, a black man has killed a white woman. A black man, a man who is inferior to whites, has killed a white woman. This shatters every rule the white man has set forth to contain the black man. Earlier in the novel, Bigger even states that white men don't care what happens between black men, but once that shifts to black committing a crime against whites, they start caring.
I do think Bigger realizes what he has done. "She was dead; she was white; she was a woman; he had killed her; he was black; he might be caught; he did not want to be caught; if he were they would kill him." (Wright 89) The quote explains that Bigger knows the consequences and the social barriers that he has violated. If not, he would not be able to say "They can't say I did it. If they do, they can't prove it" at the end of Book One because he would not know the social barriers that could help him.
Native Son, Day 2 (pgs 34- 62)
Alone in a room all to himself, Bigger begins to feel that the job is not so bad. He could drink in peace. He has a soft comfortable bed all to himself. Bigger believes that his new job will be extremely easy. On page 59, he even says "Oh boy! This would be an easy life!" Bigger is getting sold out by the material possessions that the Dalton's give him. He is not the type who would simply make peace in the world which he is confined in. Throughout the stay at the Dalton's, he always kept talking trash about Mary Dalton in his mind. He says, "The only thing bad so far was that crazy girl." He also felt awkward each time he came near a person in the household. If he really had made his peace, he would not feel awkward and just accept the way things are. If Bigger was being subversive, then he would act like he always does. Instead, he does not even want to go into the kitchen with Mrs. Dalton because of fear, so he is not surrendering at all.
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