Power can be perceived by the minds of many as untamed force or dominance. In Richard Wright’s Native Son, the main character, Bigger Thomas understands this strength of power first hand. Bigger Thomas is a young black male living in the struggle of a segregated society in the late 1930s. Bigger experiences many hardships throughout his life due to the color of his skin. Growing up poor, uneducated, and without a father Bigger was mad at the world. Although, he had a great mother, he still had the struggle of trying to care for his family by doing all he could to support them. Throughout Bigger’s life he was constantly controlled and dominated by others. He gets a taste of dominance and is suddenly consumed with the desire to have more power.
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Due to the color of Bigger’s skin, he and his case were treated completely different. The outcome was one that many were not even surprised about. Whether or not Bigger was completely innocent or not, the outcome of him being charged of murder would be completely the same. However, Bigger’s lawyer, a white man, tried all he could to change the outcome of Bigger’s case. Max tried pleading Bigger not guilty by stating,” Dare I, deeply mindful of this boy’s background and race, put his fate in the hands of a jury (not on his peers, but of an alien and hostile race!) whose minds are already conditioned by the press of the nation” (355). Even this white male knows how much the white community has power over the black people. Power can be a dangerous thing when used in an immoral fashion. At the end of the day, the white majority got what they wanted due to the amount of power they hold. Bigger goes through the power struggle of trying to override the superior people and at the same time free himself from the power that is over him. Misused power can lead to the quietus of others. Bigger lived during a time where there were outside forces that were out of his control; he was faced with socio economic challenges and the prejudice that dominated the twentieth century. If he had not been exposed to the cruelty of prejudice and hopelessness of inequality, then he would not have felt the need to commit murder. Today, Black people are still treated poorly, with the movement of Black Lives Matter, African-Americans are still fighting for their right of equality and social justice. People are still fighting to escape from the powers that hold them
Due to the color of Bigger’s skin, he and his case were treated completely different. The outcome was one that many were not even surprised about. Whether or not Bigger was completely innocent or not, the outcome of him being charged of murder would be completely the same. However, Bigger’s lawyer, a white man, tried all he could to change the outcome of Bigger’s case. Max tried pleading Bigger not guilty by stating,” Dare I, deeply mindful of this boy’s background and race, put his fate in the hands of a jury (not on his peers, but of an alien and hostile race!) whose minds are already conditioned by the press of the nation” (355). Even this white male knows how much the white community has power over the black people. Power can be a dangerous thing when used in an immoral fashion. At the end of the day, the white majority got what they wanted due to the amount of power they hold. Bigger goes through the power struggle of trying to override the superior people and at the same time free himself from the power that is over him. Misused power can lead to the quietus of others. Bigger lived during a time where there were outside forces that were out of his control; he was faced with socio economic challenges and the prejudice that dominated the twentieth century. If he had not been exposed to the cruelty of prejudice and hopelessness of inequality, then he would not have felt the need to commit murder. Today, Black people are still treated poorly, with the movement of Black Lives Matter, African-Americans are still fighting for their right of equality and social justice. People are still fighting to escape from the powers that hold them