Hi, I'm entering my senior year of high school. For my honors LA class, we had to read Native Son and respond to a question with an essay. Like usual, I waited to the last minute. I just read the summary on spark notes and wrote the essay (took 23 minutes to write, I like to time myself lol). I'd like to get off on a good start (meh, its 5% of my grade), so I appreciate any criticism on my essay Here was the question topic:
"Some novels seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. From native son, note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that Wright apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the literary techniques (plot, point of five, setting, symbolism, irony, etc.) the author uses to influence the reader's or audience?s views."
And here is my essay:
"In the novel Native Son, Richard Wright does not attempt to hide his opinions of America during the 1930?s. From the start, Wright stresses the need for white Americans to open their eyes and change their view of the black community. He uses his book to advocate changes in its audience, 1930?s literate, and mainly white, America.
Even long after the end of slavery, black and white people still weren?t perceived as equals. Throughout the novel, Wright shows that each group of people does not recognize the other as individuals. Seen through the eyes of white people, blacks are an inferior race and a blemish on American culture. Black people think of whites as an oppressive force that is untrustworthy and frightening to them.
Wright uses many different techniques to convey this point. The story is told from the perspective of atypical protagonist, Bigger Thomas. Wright does not attempt to give Bigger any redeeming qualities or traits evident in the standard hero. He places Bigger in the same position that millions of Americans were in during the 1930?s. He grows up in the lowest rung of the social ladder, receives a poor and limited education, and is reserved to menial jobs. Ultimately, Bigger descends to the life of a criminal and eventually murders two people. We can see that Bigger is not entirely at fault though. He is a product of his environment and continued racial oppression. Whites have effectively transformed Bigger into their own stereotype of a black person.
During the 1930?s, the media was largely responsible for much of the racism in America. Newspapers, films, and magazines had already decided the fate of Bigger before his trial even began. Although, white people also make victims of themselves with their racism. Ironically, the Dalton family underestimates Bigger, and he is able to manipulate them into thinking that he is incapable of committing such a crime.
On a more symbolic level, Wright uses Mrs. Dalton?s blindness to further his point. Bigger ends up murdering Mary because her mother can?t see Bigger and he smothers her while trying to keep her quiet. Just as her literal blindness caused Bigger to murder someone, the figurative blindness of the white population causes millions of blacks to turn to violence. White people are blind in the sense that they fail to see blacks as individuals, and ultimately, this racism ends with more violence."
"Some novels seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. From native son, note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that Wright apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the literary techniques (plot, point of five, setting, symbolism, irony, etc.) the author uses to influence the reader's or audience?s views."
And here is my essay:
"In the novel Native Son, Richard Wright does not attempt to hide his opinions of America during the 1930?s. From the start, Wright stresses the need for white Americans to open their eyes and change their view of the black community. He uses his book to advocate changes in its audience, 1930?s literate, and mainly white, America.
Even long after the end of slavery, black and white people still weren?t perceived as equals. Throughout the novel, Wright shows that each group of people does not recognize the other as individuals. Seen through the eyes of white people, blacks are an inferior race and a blemish on American culture. Black people think of whites as an oppressive force that is untrustworthy and frightening to them.
Wright uses many different techniques to convey this point. The story is told from the perspective of atypical protagonist, Bigger Thomas. Wright does not attempt to give Bigger any redeeming qualities or traits evident in the standard hero. He places Bigger in the same position that millions of Americans were in during the 1930?s. He grows up in the lowest rung of the social ladder, receives a poor and limited education, and is reserved to menial jobs. Ultimately, Bigger descends to the life of a criminal and eventually murders two people. We can see that Bigger is not entirely at fault though. He is a product of his environment and continued racial oppression. Whites have effectively transformed Bigger into their own stereotype of a black person.
During the 1930?s, the media was largely responsible for much of the racism in America. Newspapers, films, and magazines had already decided the fate of Bigger before his trial even began. Although, white people also make victims of themselves with their racism. Ironically, the Dalton family underestimates Bigger, and he is able to manipulate them into thinking that he is incapable of committing such a crime.
On a more symbolic level, Wright uses Mrs. Dalton?s blindness to further his point. Bigger ends up murdering Mary because her mother can?t see Bigger and he smothers her while trying to keep her quiet. Just as her literal blindness caused Bigger to murder someone, the figurative blindness of the white population causes millions of blacks to turn to violence. White people are blind in the sense that they fail to see blacks as individuals, and ultimately, this racism ends with more violence."
