Powerless

Book one of Native Son is full of revelations that show the mental complexity of living as a black man in the 1930’s through the weary perspective of Bigger Thomas. Bigger is a man with a callous outer appearance, but in reality his brain is racked with immense fear of many things he cannot control. Living in destitute conditions with his brother, sister and nagging mother, Bigger desensitizes himself to his family’s living situation for the belief that “he would be swept out of himself with fear and despair.”(12) Bigger is afraid that he cannot live up to expectation that he thinks his family has set for him. I think that this is the reason that he acts indifferent and even obnoxious towards his family. If he acts badly to his family, then their expectations would drop and he would not have to worry about disappointing them.

As well as Bigger’s fear of many things, his violent tendencies are very prevalent in book one also. In the opening scene of the novel, his mother orders him to kill a rat in their apartment. After he completes the job, Bigger commences to beat the dead rat’s head in. His overkill and aggression on a measly rat shows Bigger’s rage, most likely towards his life. He is emotionally unstable and has no emotional medium or gray area, for Bigger it is either disinterest or being livid. His excess rage is most likely due to the fear he encounters in his everyday life. One of Bigger’s greatest fears is being powerless in life but being a black man in the 1930’s practically requires him to be powerless which enrages him. As a result of his fear and anger, Bigger becomes violent to anything or anyone in sight. Another of fear of Bigger’s that leads him to a more disastrous situation because of his rage, is his fear and distrust of white people. When in the interview with Mr. Dalton, Bigger was polite but Mr. Dalton (in vain) tried to make him more ‘comfortable’ by saying that he understood Bigger’s situation since he was a boy once. Since Bigger does not trust white people he feels like Mr. Dalton is being condescending and this angers him. Along with this instance with Mr. Dalton, when Bigger meets Mary Dalton’s friend Jan he also becomes angered because of his fear of white people. Bigger’s mind begins to race with annoyed questions, “was she laughing about him? Were they making fun of him? Why didn’t they leave him alone? […] He was something he hated, the badge of shame which he knew was attached to a black skin”(84) Being around white people makes Bigger painfully aware of the negativity of being black in a dominant white society. He feels immense hatred and shame towards himself and to Jan and Mary who made him feel that way. Bigger’s fear of white people stems from feeling inferior, something that he cannot control, in their presence. With Mr. Dalton, Mary and Jan, Bigger felt uncomfortable in his black skin because none of them actually understand what it’s like.

My prediction for book two, is Bigger’s fear of being powerless to be more exploited as he continues to work for the Daltons. He may continue to act out violently and the truth about Mary could be exposed.

Literary Merit

  The phrase ‘literary merit' to College board refers to a work of literature that withstands time and appeals to a vast variety of audiences. Works of literary merit have relatable qualities and relative concepts, not only to the time period it had been published in but also throughout time. These kinds novels also have in-depth and insightful qualities that go beyond the words printed on the page. To me, these elements greatly contribute to the definition of a work of  literary merit, a work of literary merit also has engaging characters that the readers can be sympathetic to. With the understanding of this definition, the novel The House on Mango Street, written by Sandra Cisneros falls into the category of a work of literary merit. Reading works of literary merit would be beneficial to anyone because it would expose them to insightful novels that will always be relevant. The novel House on Mango a rare kind of book that immediately resonated with me and most likely other readers in this way as well.
  The novel The House on Mango street is relatively short but has a quite relatable nature. In the novel, the Chicana (Mexican-American) protagonist, Esperanza whose name means ‘hope' in Spanish, recounts her days as an adolescent to maturity with struggles along the way. The novel begins with Esperanza and her large family moving into a new house that is an improvement from their previous apartment. Esperanza does not particularly like the house because it is not what she as nice as she dreamed of but she makes do. She matures quickly within the first year of living in the new house. Further down the line, Esperanza endures hardships and begins writing as an escape from the situation and the neighborhood. This in itself is relatable to a wide range of readers. The common and relatable theme of growing up and maturing is something we all experience and people have experienced over time. This specific theme of the novel has and will always withstand time and resonate with readers. While reading the book, I remember a time of my life when I was like Esperanza. I was young and wanted to be grown up in some aspects but not in others, just like Esperanza. I am confident that all readers of The House on Mango Street have encountered or are currently facing. The difficulties the readers may face in life may not measure up to the misfortunes that Esperanza encountered, but the fact that we all, in our adolescence, experienced tribulations creates a sense of sympathy with Esperanza.
  Sandra Cisneros does a good job writing a novel of literary merit that is insightful and in which aspects can be compared to our own lives. The story is told in brief chapters, but Cisneros shows the readers that a novel does not have to have over 200 pages to be considered a work of literary merit. This relatable factor throughout time is what qualifies this novel as a work of literary merit in the definition by College Board and my own.