Native Son
The Modern Novel
Indifference, Fear, and Violence: the Fate of Bigger Thomas
Bigger Thomas lives in a world of fear, and hides behind a facade of indifference, often causing his emotions to erupt in violence. This novel portrays of the fate of Bigger, which is unraveled within a few days. Here I will give certain examples of how his emotions get the better of him. To understand Bigger, you must consider his background: He is a twenty-year-old black man living in an area of the Chicago ghetto called the ?Black belt? in the 1930?s. Life has been harsh for Bigger and His family. He lives in a dirty and cramped one-room apartment with his mother, and two younger siblings. Bigger once had a father, but he abandoned the family long ago. The Thomas?s are on public assistance, and money is extremely tight. Bigger has only gotten to the eighth grade in school, and is unemployed when we meet him. He is not a good person, Bigger and his gang have pulled numerous store robberies on their own people, on a separate occasion he was sent away to reform school for stea!
ling. Initially we as readers have no compassion for bigger, but as
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