Ethos In Native Son

In Native Son, by Richard Wright, the protagonist character learns that various factors, such as race and heritage, can greatly influence a person’s life. This is demonstrated through character motivation, conflict, ethos, and symbolism. These elements are illustrated by Wright’s indigent character, who is obstinate to reach his goal and persevere through any obstacles that he may face. Character motivation, conflict, and ethos are all illustrated through the protagonist character, Bigger Thomas, who is portrayed as a very motivated black man, who encounters a variety of problems in Chicago’s 1930s. On page 87, paragraph 3, Wright states, “She was dead and he had killed her. He was a murderer, a Negro murderer, a black murderer. He had …show more content…
On page 105, paragraph 4, Wright states, “He had murdered and had created a new life for himself. It was something that was all his own, and it was the first time in his life he had had anything that others could not take away from him.” As a result of living on the South Side, in an all black neighborhood for all of his life, Bigger loves the rush of new feelings of finally having something of his very own that no one can ever take away from him. The murders of both Mary and Bessie, symbolize freedom and a new identity for Bigger, since he feels like he’s actually living for the first time in his life. After seeing a pigeon fly into the sky, Bigger stated that he wants to fly like that pigeon and have freedom. However, since he had committed murder twice, Bigger has created a new future for himself and he can’t turn back around to try to find the correct road that leads to knowledge because it’s too late. However, Bigger’s new identity and demeanor filled him with mirth, hope, and pride that maybe his future will turn out alright. Although this new future is more perilous than his prosaic past, since now he’s being chased by the police, Bigger finally feels like he enjoys living freely and having a purpose to