Analysis of gender issue in Richard Wright's Native Son

1. GENDER ISSUE REFLECTED
IN RICHARD WRIGHT’S
NATIVE SON
Irene Heni Indrasakti

2. 1. Abstract
In this paper, the writer will discuss the intrinsic elements linked to
extrinsic elements in Richard Wright’s Native Son. The purpose is too
understand the relation between man and woman in the novel. To be
specific, the relation between Bessie, Bigger, and Mary. To analyze this
novel, the writer use close reading method. Through this novel, the writer
finds that gender equality was still in issue in 1940. In brief, through this
novel, Wright tried to describe the gender relationship that time.
Keywords : Richard Wright, gender relation, close-reading, prose

3. 2. Introduction
Written by Richard Wright, this novel begins
with Bigger who is a black man living an
colour people neighbourhood. Through this
paper, the writer would like to discuss the
gender relation between man and woman.

4. 3. Methodology and Theory
In this paper, the writer uses close reading method
and gender roles theory.
Close reading or explication de texte is a finely
detailed , very specific examination of a short poem
or short selected passage from longer work, in order
to find the focus and or design of the work.

5. 3. Methodology and Theory
Gender roles in the 1930 in America
According to this theory, gender roles are so
separated. Man and woman had their own stereotype.
Man was considered as the one who worked and the
woman was the one who worked on the kitchen.

6. 4. Research Object
The research object is to identify the man and
woman relation in 1930s by reading the novel.
Besides, knowing the gender roles in 1930s
will support the readers to understand that man
and woman were not equal that time.

7. 5. Biography and Paraphrase
Biography of the Author
African-American writer and poet Richard Wright was born on September
4, 1908, in Roxie, Mississippi, and published his first short story at the age
of 16. Later, he found employment with the Federal Writers Project and
received critical acclaim for Uncle Tom's Children, a collection of four
stories. He’s well known for the 1940 bestseller Native Son and his 1945
autobiography Black Boy. Wright died in Paris, France, on November 28,
1960.

8. 5. Biography and Paraphrase
Paraphrase of the Prose
• Book 1 : Fear
Bigger Thomas is a 20 year old man living in the black people neighborhood. He hates his life,
his family, even his fate. He hates to feel un-powerful. Until one day, he applied a job as a
chauffer in Dalton’s house, the white people. Mr. Dalton is a big hearted person, he and his
wife personally disagree with slavery that time. He does the job very well at the beginning, but
it began worse. That night, he drives Mary and Jan to a kind of bar. Mary is Mr. Dalton’s
daughter while Jan is a communist and also Mary’s boyfriend. They are getting drunk,
especially Mary. When Bigger wants to take Mary home with those alcohol smell, Bigger
feels that it is not right. Somehow, he finally takes her to her bedroom. He is shocked when he
realizes there is Mrs. Dalton in front of Mary’s bedroom door. Mrs. Dalton is blind. He wants
Mary not being caught drunk like that. So he decides to cover her face by pillow without any
intention to kill her. Unfortunately, she is died out of oxygen.

9. 5. Biography and Paraphrase
 Book 2 : Flight
Bigger’s girlfriend, Bessie feels Bigger doing something not right. Bigger
feels so annoyed by Betty who keep asking about it. Bigger hasn’t told
Bessie yet about Mary, but Bigger makes a plan for false kidnapping. At
first, Bessie doesn’t agree but Bigger pushes her into his plan. Bigger
finally tells her about the truth. After he had told it, they sleep together.
Bigger rapes Bessie and goes to sleep. When he wakes up, Bigger kills
Bessie in her sleep by hitting a brick to her head and Bessie died. In this
book, Bigger feels so terrified. He looks so scared till he does anything
non-senseful.

10. 5. Biography and Paraphrase
 Book 3 : Fate
During his first few days in prison, Bigger does not eat, drink, or talk to anyone.
Then Jan comes to visit him. He says Bigger has taught him a lot about black-white
relationships and offers him the help of a communist lawyer named Max. In the
long hours Max and Bigger spend talking, he starts understanding his relationships
with his family and with the world. He acknowledges his fury, his need for a future,
and his wish for a meaningful life. He reconsiders his attitudes about white people,
whether they are aggressive like Britten, or accepting like Jan. Bigger is found
guilty in front of the court and sentenced to death for murder; however, at the end
of the novel, he appears to come to terms with his fate.

11. 6. Discussion
Bessie is Bigger’s girlfriend. Bessie works on the white people kitchen
every day meanwhile Bigger works as a driver in Dalton’s house. From the
book, we know that they don’t meet very often. Even though they are in a
relationship, it is the non-healthy kind of relationship. Bigger doesn’t love
Bessie; it is just lust that inside Bigger’s self. I personally don’t really sure
whether Bessie loves him or not.
“Most nights she was too tired to go out; she only wanted to get drunk. She
wanted liquor and he wanted her. So he would give her the licquor and she
would give him herself........ He knew why she liked him ; he gave her
money for drinks.” (page 177)

12. 6. Discussion
There is this one night when Bigger and Bessie met. Bigger acted strangely that
made Bessie didn’t stop asking. For Bigger, there are two sides of Bessie : the first
one is how bad Bigger wants her so much and the second is how Bessie can be so
curious about what Bigger had done. Bigger can’t deny the fact that he wants
Bessie so much, but he can’t stand Bessie’s curiousity. On that night, Bigger told
her about the false kidnapping plan and how to get money from that, Bessie was
disagree. Bessie was so scared. Meanwhile in Bigger’s self, he didn’t afraid of
white folks. In contrast, he felt like he got a power; he got new identity. That time,
they started to have a conflict, but in the end, Bessie was stucked into his plan.

13. 6. Discussion
Later on, Bigger told Bessie the whole story. Bessie was shocked and also
felt terrified. Bessie knew if she ignores his order, she will get into trouble.
Bessie doesn’t have choices. Bessie, herself, was also feel un-powerful.
She was afraid that Bigger could have killed her.
About the behavior Bigger did to Bessie, the writer thinks it’s so
inappropriate. Bigger supposed to love Bessie; he shouldn’t be allowed to
beat, slap or even worse, kill Bessie. In their relationship, it’s Bessie who
willing to take the pain. Bigger never think about Bessie, not even once.

14. 6. Discussion
Is what Bigger done to Bessie worse than what he had done to Mary? I
supposed to think so. Homicide is a crime with severe punishment,
especially if you kill the white man when then racial differences are readily
apparent. Bigger kill Bessie with a brick to the head banging Bessie, Bessie
after he raped first. Bigger felt Bessie knew too much about the
'disappearance' of Mary. He knew that he can’t take Bessie with him but he
can’t leave her either. Bigger think that it would be better if he removes all
the evidence including the testimony Bessie.

15. 6. Discussion
Bigger action performed on Mary and Bessie is inhumane,
although obviously, killed Mary makes Bigger gets
satisfaction and his own strength. Actions taken at Bessie
Bigger clearly worse, plus there was no justice for cases of
murder and rape Bessie. This shows the unfairness of the
current law enforcement system, in which the officials of law
prefers those whites than blacks.

16. 7. Conclusion
It can be concluded that man and woman relationship
was not equal. Man was often feel more powerful
than woman that time. Richard Wright wrote this
novel as a picture man and woman relationship in
1930s so beautifully. Without any exaggeration, his
novel seems naturally written.