“In what way was Mary Dalton responsible for her own death?” The growing racial tension and racial oppression in the 1930s, induced by the prior institution of slavery in the United States, caused many African Americans to not only feel inferior to the white population but it also imbedded a strong sense of fear and guilt in the African American community. This same societal oppression that led to the feeling of inferiority, in the pre-civil rights time, was reproduced in Richard Wright’s novel, Native Son. This oppressing feeling captivated the emotions of the main character of Native Son, Bigger Thomas, to such a degree that he was socially awkward around members of the white race. Mary Dalton’s murder was vindication for her challenge to
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It was a completely foreign feeling to him for a white woman to be so close in contact and friendly. He was a violent man before he meant Mary but her questioning him about labor unions, caused him to build up hatred towards her and each time she pressed beyond her means, by challenging the racial barriers he was used to, he would hate her even more. “He hated the girl then. Why did she have to do this when he was trying to get a job?” (52) He felt that the questions were her way to deter her father from giving him a job, since her father appeared to dislike unions; he believed they were trick questions.
Mary Dalton made it worst for herself, by betraying her father and not going to University but instead going to meet a communist man named Jan. Society has already taught Bigger to fear the communist party and white supremacy teaches Bigger every day that he is inferior to whites. Mary did not stop pressing for Bigger to take down his awkward wall built by his fear of whites. By bringing Jan around Bigger, she outnumbered him; now there were 2 people making Bigger feel uncomfortable instead of just …show more content…
Mary’s murder was caused by his fear of white society and Mary’s attempt to break his fear. Bigger’s crime was completely accidental. It was Mary’s fault she was drunk and Mary’s fault that Bigger was in her room; he was just trying to help a drunken white girl into the safety of her home. It was also Mary’s fault that Bigger acted so irrationally when Mrs. Dalton walked in. Bigger had just gone through a fear-full day. His impulsive and irrational actions were a cause of his night out with Mary and Jan. Bigger had sips of rum and his mind was overwhelmed with Mary’s challenge of his understanding of his race in
It was a completely foreign feeling to him for a white woman to be so close in contact and friendly. He was a violent man before he meant Mary but her questioning him about labor unions, caused him to build up hatred towards her and each time she pressed beyond her means, by challenging the racial barriers he was used to, he would hate her even more. “He hated the girl then. Why did she have to do this when he was trying to get a job?” (52) He felt that the questions were her way to deter her father from giving him a job, since her father appeared to dislike unions; he believed they were trick questions.
Mary Dalton made it worst for herself, by betraying her father and not going to University but instead going to meet a communist man named Jan. Society has already taught Bigger to fear the communist party and white supremacy teaches Bigger every day that he is inferior to whites. Mary did not stop pressing for Bigger to take down his awkward wall built by his fear of whites. By bringing Jan around Bigger, she outnumbered him; now there were 2 people making Bigger feel uncomfortable instead of just …show more content…
Mary’s murder was caused by his fear of white society and Mary’s attempt to break his fear. Bigger’s crime was completely accidental. It was Mary’s fault she was drunk and Mary’s fault that Bigger was in her room; he was just trying to help a drunken white girl into the safety of her home. It was also Mary’s fault that Bigger acted so irrationally when Mrs. Dalton walked in. Bigger had just gone through a fear-full day. His impulsive and irrational actions were a cause of his night out with Mary and Jan. Bigger had sips of rum and his mind was overwhelmed with Mary’s challenge of his understanding of his race in