Raising Our Native Sons Essay Example for Free

Raising Our Native Sons EssayDuring the modern era, on that point was an overwhelming sense of optimism due to the nations booming economy. There was a generalization that any(prenominal) citizen could work hard and become successful. However, this was not al paths the case in American nightspot. Not every genius was accustomed up equal opportunity to thrive and succeed. This struggle was expressed in various literary works. In is fable Native Son, Richard Wright uses symbolism and irony to attack hurry issues and oppression in order to suggest that African Americans should have equal opportunity as puritys. Throughout the novel, the protagonist, big Thomas faces persecution and mistreatment simply because of the color of his skin. This racism appears early in the novel when a betray is encountered in his apartment. Biggers mother is revolt by the gross creature she finds wandering in the familys apartment. She proclaims her disgust and dismay of the rat by saying, L ord, Lord, have mercy that sonofabitch could cut your throat (10). Through this duologue, the readers realize the harsh treatment and attitude the rat is receiving from Biggers family. They be scargond and afraid of the rat, even though it means no vituperate and is merely trying to surviving with the sustentation conditions it has been given.This demonstrates the over each(prenominal) racism towards blacks throughout the book as they are treated poorly and set up to sound. Like the rat, they are considered the lowest of the low who scavenge strike others to survive. They are treated as a threat that precisely causes harm and need to be justify of. Also, Bigger faces racism head on at home. When playing with his friends, they play white. This game seeks to come after the way whites proceeding in society. During this game, Bigger and his friends unknowingly play out the white people has having supreme power over the whites. This demonstrates that the racism is engraved into their heads, even at a young age. This sets them up to fail from a young age by starting them off as knowing that they are considered low to the white people.As the book continues, Biggers degree becomes a point of attention in the south side of Chicago. The newspaper reporters are gathered around preparing to write an article on Biggers recent crime. They are collaborating witheach other in order to create the best story possible. One of the reporters says, Im slanting to the primitive negro who doesnt want to be nauseated by white civilization. The conversation continues with another reporter saying, quote his foreign sounding name (201). The reporters are bouncing ideas off each other in order to write the best story for the readers. They mention how they are going to purposely define Bigger as a member of the African American community. This simple dialogue represents a much larger meaning within the novel. The reporters immediately turn to race in order to demonize Bigger. They call him primitive and point out his name in an attempt to dissociate him from white society. This display of racism conveys the treatment of African Americans as outcasts of mainstream society.In profit to this, the media is lone(prenominal) aiding in the continued validity of this stereotype. The more the media portrays blacks as animals and creatures, the more they are attacked by mainstream white society. As a result of this, the blacks are suppressed more and more, causing them to become more and more desperate. This deadly cycle of racism and oppression is ongoing as society feeds off the harsh portrayal of African Americans by the news outlets. Wright brings attention to the overwhelming effect that oppression can have on an item-by-item or group. Bigger is continuously oppressed throughout his life. After attempting to escape from the police, Bigger is captured and brought down to the way from a rooftop. He was dragged down the stairs with his head banging on every step. He plunge himself lying on his back in the snow, pinned down by his wrists and surrounded by a peck of this faces. The uncivilised crowd shouts at Bigger. Roars from the crowd include, Kill im Lynch im Kill that ape (253). The crowd is angry at the black man who has caused so much trouble to the white folk. When they finally capture him, they all seem to unite as one when shouting insults as if they have has a triumph by holding down this young black man. This unity represented the overpowering superiority of white society over that of the blacks.Although each individual is their own person and saying their own comments, all Bigger sees and hears is an irresponsible common force. To Bigger, he does not see the individuality in each white person he sees them as all members of the same group all with a common goal of suppressing his dreams. In addition to seeing all whites as a blanket of oppression, he is almost confoundful of himself when around them. age sitting in an i nterview, he sits in Mr. Daltons office with him. Bigger enters the room and does not conciliate eye contact. He stands in a corner with his head down, being careful not to drive eye contact with Mr. Dalton. Bigger knows the role that he has in society as well as the room. He is careful to not do anything to upset the white man for fear of potential punishment. This shame is built off the fact that he has been repetitively told and taught that he is inferior. This repeated oppression leads Bigger to act differently around white people, further placing him into the mold of a non-productive member of society.Bigger feels as if he has been able to make very few decisions for himself his entire life. This suppression was put on him right from the start. one time he realizes his fate and is sitting on his cot, he thinks back on his life. He had always restd with the forewarning that he would be sentenced to the electric chair. Once this becomes a reality, Bigger feels a sense of imm unity that he has never felt before. He wonders to himself why he put himself into the shadow of the electric chair only to find out this? Had he been blind all along? But there was no way to tell now. It was too late (335). He realizes that he lived his entire life under the shadow of fear of the electric chair. Once he realizes that he is actually doomed for the chair, he assumes that he should live his live with complete freedom with the remaining days he has left.He concludes, however, that it is too late to live with freedom since he wasted all of his previous days under the shadow. This shadow of oppression holds him back from living freely because he knows that his skin color limits his chances to succeed in life. Furthermore, Bigger can make choices that leave only dig him deeper into a hole he cannot escape from. After lashing out and committing a murder, Bigger expresses his feelings that he has a sense of power for the first time in his life. By committing this murder, h e has broken away from the limitations being placed on him. Although it was negative, he could not be stopped because he was not assumed to be capable of such a crime. This demonstrates that the oppressed are subject to dislike and more likely to lash out due to the poor treatment and lack of individual freedoms.By using irony and symbolism, Richard Wright brings light to the issue of race and oppression in America. He attempts to convey that blacks and whiteshould be given equal opportunity to succeed. Wright believes that African Americans are placed into a mold of failure, one that they cannot escape. The title Native Son suggests something about the treatment of the generation of young men we are altitude in our country. All of our Native Sons, no matter what race, should be treated equally and be given ample opportunity to succeed.