1. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to the Thomas family. Describe this family and the conditions in which they live? Be descriptive and use concrete details!
At the beginning of the novel, the reader is introduced to the Thomas family in a very interesting perspective. The scene is presented Bigger being awakened by his mother in a hastily manner, as she also has to wake up her two other children: Buddy and Vera. The mother explains to Bigger, “ ‘Well, I’m telling you again! And mark my word, some of these days you going to set down and cry. Some of these days you going to wish you had made something of yourself, instead of just a tramp. But it’ll be too late then” (Wright 9). The tension and relationship between the family are highly contradictorily. The reader can note that the in one aspect, the mother treats Bigger childishly, as well as in another perspective, she treats Bigger as a grown adolescent.
Moreover, then tension between the family is obvious, as Bigger becomes frustrated and angered by the petty remarks of his mother. For the conditions the Thomas family lives in; it does not support the bond of the family as they live together in a one room apartment. Overall, the whole family lives in complete poverty. The conditions are so extreme that Bigger and Buddy sleep in one bed, and Vern and the mother sleep in one bed all in the same room. The family also has to worry about infestations with rodents, which adds to the overall struggling home environment in an underprivileged society. The home environment is quite an unfortunate one, as it effects the emotion tensions of Bigger, of how his family digs under his skin, as they all want him to get a job and get them out of their miserable poverty.
As a way to escape these hardships and tensions within his family, Bigger only knows of one solution: to run, and to run away for a bit. However, as Bigger interacts into society, the reader can see that Bigger’s manners alter, as well as his oppressed emotions. Ultimately, by the way he presents himself in society and around his peers, creates more tension in his home environment, as Bigger is unable to perform responsibly in the real world.
2. The title of Book One is Fear, how is this title symbolic and prophetic at the same time? What was Wright's intention with this title?
Book One contains the title Fear, which contains many symbolic and prophetic aspects. Wrights intention with this title is carefully constructed as Book One encompasses all the fears of Bigger Thomas. The narrator says, “The rat’s belly pulsed with fear. Bigger advanced a step and the rat emitted a long thin song of defiance, its black beady eyes glittering, its tiny forefeet pawing the air restlessly. Bigger swung the skillet; it skidded over the floor, missing the rat, and clattered to a stop against the wall” (Wright 6). At the beginning of the text, the readers are introduced to the scene of the Thomas family, where they all encounter a rat roaming throughout their small living space. This rat exemplifies multiple symbolisms towards Bigger’s character and the society around him.
The rat inside the Thomas’ one room apartment also symbolizes the characteristics of Bigger. When the rat is roaming inside of the Thomas’ one room apartment, Bigger places a trunk in front of the wall, so the rat is unable to escape. This action resembles how Bigger is trapped in his own life. How this relates to his fear, is the fear of his society will never change. Daily, Bigger dreams of his society changing, so that black will have the same opportunities as the whites do. However, there is not much he can do now. He fears that he cannot go out in the world, get a job, and start supporting his family. Essentially, Bigger fears failure, as he does not want to fail again to support his family, or support and symbolize the voice of the black community.
3. What initial event happens in the beginning of the novel that is clearly a foreshadowing of events to come?
The initial even that occurs in the beginning of the novel is the rat that roams throughout the Thomas’ compact living space. A rat enters from the inside, where it is in the presence of the family. Bigger identifies that rat, and traps it within the house so it cannot escape. Bigger’s mother screeches at Bigger, “ ‘You’ll regret how you living some day,’ she went on. ‘If you don’t stop running with that gang of yours and do right you’ll end up where you never thought you would. You think I don’t know what you boys is doing, but I do. And the gallows is at the end of the road you traveling, boy. Just remember that’ ” (Wright 9). This who scene foreshadows events that will occur later in the book. The symbolism of the rat being trapped in the living space is a metaphor of how Bigger is trapped within his own society. Bigger aspires to do much more with his life, but is trapped and lives in fear of the white oppression.
When his mother speaks to him, she speaks to him either as an adult or as a child. As her son, she still knows that he has not matured fully, but also speaks to him in a strict tone in how he needs to be a man and take responsibility for the entire family. As the rat is trapped, it displays its failure for escape, and eventually is killed. However, this is the same representation for Bigger. Bigger is trapped in a society, where he cannot escape. Therefore, this rat is a symbol of Bigger’s failure for escaping societal oppression through his attempted action, where he will later fall to his own demise.
4. How does Bigger feel about his home and its surroundings?
Bigger feels trapped about his home and surroundings. At home, he feels pressured to become the father figure of the family and support his mother and two siblings. Despite that, he does not believe in himself that he can do it because he is still a child himself. His mother always antagonizes him for going out with his friends, and for him to get a job for support. However, Bigger does not want to face this reality. He lives in a world where white power conquers all. He is discriminated against because of his ethnicity, and the oppression makes finding a job and a happy life almost impossible. Bigger goes out into the surroundings always thinking of he will be equal to the whites. He walks through society every day wondering what it would be like if all were the same, and he deeply aspires that society’s standards will change.
5. Who are Bigger's friends and what event takes place that creates a level of aggression with these friends?
Bigger’s friends are Gus, G.H., and Jack. What one needs to know about Bigger is that he contains a lot of irritation from his environment in his home and from all of the societal oppression. The guys all concoct a plan to rob Blum’s store whom is a white man. The purpose of this plan is to rob a white man, and steal some easy money, to make it through life because each man lives in poverty. Bigger thinks to himself, “He had argued all of his pals but one into consenting to the robbery, and toward the lone man who held out he felt a hot hate and fear; he had transferred his fear of the whites to Gus. He hated Gus because he knew that Gus was afraid, as even he was; and he feared Gus because he felt that Gus would consent and then he would be compelled to go though with the robbery” (Wright 25).
Bigger contains the fear of robbing Blum, as he has never attempted to rob a white man before. To hide his fear from his friends, he shifts the concentration to make it seem like that Gus contained a great fear of robbing Blum’s. In reality, it is Bigger who contains this fear, but he knows that if Gus knows that he is truly fearful of this scheme, Gus will go through with the robbery. This leads to, if Gus goes through the robbery with G.H. and Jack, Bigger will have to succumb to go through with the robbery, so he does not lose his sense of power around his friends. However, Bigger’s friends see right through Bigger, and change the focus of the concentration. Gus tries to revert what Bigger had imposed on him by questioning him if he is fearful to go through with the robbery. Immediately, Bigger tries to cover up his fear, and pulls a knife to Gus. Bigger’s violent reaction, leads Bigger to fight Gus. His aggravation and violence is a natural cope toward his oppressed internal emotions, as well as his isolation in his life poverty and hope.
6. Who are the Dalton's, and where and how do they live?
The Dalton’s are the wealthiest family in all of Chicago. They lived in a mansion, drive expensive, cars and contain a few people at the house for personal employment. Mr. Dalton is the CEO of the largest realtor company in the city. Mrs. Dalton is blind, and spends her time around the home. Their daughter, Mary is a young girl who studies at the university in the city. Mary has a boyfriend named Jan, who she often misses class to go visit him on the other side of the town. Jan is the leader of the Reds, which is a nickname for the Communist Party in Chicago. As wealthy and prosperous white people, the Daltons oppose the Communist Party, which is the reason why Mary sneaks around to see Jan.
Wright explains of Bigger’s reaction, “This was a cold and distant world; a world of white secrets carefully guarded. He could feel pride, a certainty, and a confidence in these streets and houses” (Wright 44). When Bigger arrives at the Dalton house for his job interview, he is pleasantly surprised with the environment the Dalton’s live in. Actually, he is quite surprise as the conditions the Dalton’s live in are what he aspires in his own hopes of societal change-It knocks the breath out of him, as the Dalton’s living conditions are so far fetched from his own housing.
Love,
Allison
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