Societal Power And Racial Oppression - 1467 Words

Taylor Bradley Honors English 11 Nicholas Period 1 Societal Power and Racial Oppression In the mid 1900’s, different parts of society struggled with power due to the idea of racial supremacy. The idea of a superior race lead to the racial oppression of blacks, which had deep and lasting effects on society. This can be seen in Native Son by Richard Wright. During this time, power was heavily dependent on race: a concept Bigger Thomas struggled with throughout the entire novel. This can be seen on Bigger’s journey to understand and grasp for power, and the lasting effects of racial oppression on not only himself, but the black community as a whole. Wright uses Bigger’s psychological corruption to send a message to the reader. It offers a new view on the underlying effects of racism on the black community of the time period. Wright creates Bigger from the diversity he saw throughout American society. â€Å"I made the discovery that Bigger Thomas was not black all the time; he was white, too, and there were literally millions of him, everywhere... I became conscious, at first dimly, and then later on with increasing clarity and conviction, of a vast, muddied pool of human life in America. It was as though I had put on a pair of spectacles whose power was that of an x-ray enabling me to see deeper into the lives of men. Whenever I picked up a newspaper, I d no longer feel that I was reading of the doings of whites alone (Negroes are rarely mentioned in the press unless they veShow MoreRelatedRacial Oppression And Racial Discrimination997 Words   |  4 Pagesthe concept of racial solidarity but yet decides to ignore it. R acial oppression is a direct consequence of a superior race. Racial oppression is the act of power that causes the state of being to feel heavily exploited. 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