Bigger is more hopeful than his mother towards his prospects in the world. He sees all the things that he could do if he weren’t a poor black man. He fantasizes about flying a plane “if [he] wasn’t black and if [he] had some money and if they’d let [him] go to that aviation school,” (Wright 17). However, racism and oppression have severely limited the options for any black person, and his mother knows this. She accepts the racism and bends her life to fit it and reduce problems for herself and her family. In a way, she is also an oppressor; she tries to suppress Bigger’s dreams and make him take a job directly benefitting them in the now, because if he doesn’t, “the relief’ll cut us off. [They] won’t have any food,” (Wright 12). She is a realist concerned with the present, while Bigger is a romanticist dreaming about an imaginary future.
Bigger rebels because he wants to do things that he isn’t allowed to do.
Mr. Dalton and Jan Erlone both profess to be friendly towards African Americans, yet they are hostile to each other. Compare and contrast their attitudes towards African Americans and explain their mutual hostility.
Mr. Dalton is kind to Bigger by allowing him to work for him even while knowing that he has an extensive criminal background. He also gives Bigger an extra five dollars more than the usual twenty dollar weekly pay, saying that Bigger can use those five dollars on himself. Mr. Dalton also gives Bigger his own room in the house to keep for his own. Jan tries to be friendly toward Bigger by treating him as an equal. Mr. Dalton doesn’t like Jan because of his then radical Communist beliefs at the time. Because Jan is dating Mary, he is also influencing her and passing his Communist beliefs to her. I don’t think Jan despises Mr. Dalton, but that Jan thinks that Mr. Dalton’s views and actions to help African Americans are too passive. Jan also uses Mary to take money from her parents and pay for his friends.
Mr. Dalton is kind to Bigger by allowing him to work for him even while knowing that he has an extensive criminal background. He also gives Bigger an extra five dollars more than the usual twenty dollar weekly pay, saying that Bigger can use those five dollars on himself. Mr. Dalton also gives Bigger his own room in the house to keep for his own. Jan tries to be friendly toward Bigger by treating him as an equal. Mr. Dalton doesn’t like Jan because of his then radical Communist beliefs at the time. Because Jan is dating Mary, he is also influencing her and passing his Communist beliefs to her. I don’t think Jan despises Mr. Dalton, but that Jan thinks that Mr. Dalton’s views and actions to help African Americans are too passive. Jan also uses Mary to take money from her parents and pay for his friends.
Both Mr. Dalton and Jan believe in equality among all people, but each believes his way is the correct one. Mr. Dalton gives money to charity, while Jan calls for riots to change America. Mr. Daltons view is more palpable than Jan’s; Jan is calling for a structural change of the entire country.
How is fear really to blame for the murder of Mary (this is a comprehensive question, be thoughtful and think of all aspects of fear that lead to the murder of Mary)?
Bigger is afraid of the consequences of being caught in Mary’s bedroom, which would most likely be being thrown in jail or executed at the worst. He’s also afraid of losing his job and therefore the 25 dollars he makes each week. He won’t be able to provide for his family and live a better life than he previously has. Bigger’s fear of the white oppressors and racism and the possibility that he won’t succeed at his new job.
--Maria(:
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