In the introduction, written by the author Richard Wright, Wright discusses at length the making of his protagonist, Bigger Thomas; he reflects on his childhood all the way up to his adulthood, and outlines specific examples of when he met a Bigger and the informing aspect of each incident. Please discuss the many Biggers that Wright experienced in the course of his life, and what did they ALL have in common. Please use concrete details to support your analysis.
Wright states that he has met at least five specific Biggers in his life, and Bigger Thomas of Native Son is a composite character formed mostly from these five people. Bigger No.1 was a bully, and Wright was one of his victims. Bigger No.2 was a tough man who hated the fact that he had nothing compared to whites and consequently made use of his anger by never paying for what he bought. The third Bigger was also a rebel and never paid for his movie tickets. The fourth Bigger took Bigger No.2 and No.3’s action to a higher level by going out of his way to break Jim Crow laws. Bigger No.5 also broke Jim Crow laws, specifically the one regulating streetcar segregation. Biggers No. 2 through 5 completely despised the South, its racism, and the Jim Crow laws. They had no care for the segregation laws and chose to break them, not just once, but time and time again. All of them dabbled in violence – for how could they not in the time and places in which they lived? Their rebellious natures would have prompted them to take a stand sooner or later. Wright implies that he admired them for their daring. He states that he agreed with their ideals but that he was too afraid to act as they did.--Maria(:
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