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In his most famous novel, Native Sun, Richard Wright successfully develops three major themes: racism, violence, and social injustice. He has captured the powerful emotions and suffering, the frustrations and desires, the discontentment and nervous outburst, of Bigger Thomas in this grippingly dramatic novel. At the time, racism was transpiring again the black race. Bigger was raised in a one room apartment, living with his family and rats.
The rent was very high, and his mother was barely able to pay it. Bigger's education like most blacks at that time, did not exceed the eighth grade. Without the help of the Relief Agency, Bigger and his family may not have been able to keep up financially. Bigger had no money, except for the spare change his mother gave him, so he would usually just hang out at the pool hall, which was in the black district, or southside. Bigger used to pull little jobs with his friends, but all of them including Bigger wanted to pull off a big job, by robbing Blum's store. They were afraid though, of getting caught for robbing a white man.
They know the police dont care about blacks, and would probably accuse them of many more crimes. Luckily for Bigger, though, the Relief Agency did find him a job with the Dalton family. When Bigger went to the Dalton's house for the first time, he brought his gun, because it made him feel equal to the white people. This is an example of some type of violence used by Bigger, in his struggle for equality. When Bigger got to the Dalton's house, he didnt know whether to enter the house by the front or back door. He looked for a way to the back, and realizes the only way in is through the front door.
As he rang the doorbell, he felt very disturbed, and when he started talking to Mr. Dalton, he asked Bigger about his past crimes, making him feel uneasy. Then, Mary Dalton walked in and asked Bigger many questions, until her father finally asked her to leave the room. Bigger was afraid that this little brat was going to get him to lose his job. Then he met Peggy, a maid, who asks Bigger all these questions. Peggy showed Bigger the car he was to drive the family in.
When he saw the black car, he thought about how the whites own everything. When Bigger meets Miss Dalton, she talks to other people about him while he is standing next to her, like he was the third person. Richard Wright also shows how Bigger is caught up by forces he could neither understand, or control. Through violence, Bigger would try to express his fear. Bigger mainly disliked his family because he feels sorry for them.
And when Bigger picks on his friend, Gus, it is mainly out of fear of robbing Mr. Plum. When Bigger, Mary, and Jan get drunk, Bigger takes Mary home and accidentally kills her while trying to shut her up so her mom wouldnt know she was drunk. Then, after Mary is dead, and her mom is gone, Bigger shoves Marys Body in her trunk, and carries her downstairs. Then, Bigger tries to shove Marys body in the furnace, but her head wouldnt fit.
So, he takes the hatchet and cuts her head off, throwing it as well as her body, in the furnace. After everyone found out Bigger had killed Mary, Bigger ran to Bessie, his girlfriends, house. When he arrived, he ended up telling her everything that had happened. Bigger, after telling Bessie everything, realizes he cant leave her alone with this knowledge.
So, Bigger and Bessie, ran to an abandoned building, where Bigger figured how hard it would be to keep going, with Bessie along. Bigger felt he had to kill her to keep her quiet and keep her off his back, so he did. When Bigger got caught by the police and was jailed, he received constant harassment. He was faced with a choice of either confess, or else be lynched by a white crowd, which shows the violence of whites towards blacks.
At the trial Bigger was tried unlawfully. For instance, Buckley, the man prosecuting Bigger, tells Bigger to reenact the murder. Throughout the trial, there was name calling in the newspapers, and at the trial. Once again, racism and hatred are expressed by the people.
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Research essay sample on Body In The Furnace Richard Wright Bigger
