Characters

Bigger Thomas headlines the most frontal role for characters in ‘Native Son.’ Through Bigger’s sadly gripping story and decadent lifestyle, the reader sees the physical manifestation and product of society at the height of racial discrimination, oppression, and segregation. This article has offered a character analysis of Richard Wright’s generationally intrepid book, ‘Native Son.’ 

Native Son Characters

In the story of ‘Native Son,’ Richard Wright parades some able characters with strong personalities – with Bigger Thomas leading the line for all the other characters as the entire narrative circles around his life’s struggles.

Bigger Thomas 

Bigger Thomas is ‘Native Son’s’ most prominent character, who is a 20-year-old black man residing with his family in the slum of southside Chicago. Like most black households around, Bigger’s family is piss poor, making the young man ashamed of his roots as he aspires to become an important society person – something like a professional aviator. 

However, that cannot be because the society he finds himself in is brutally repressive to members of his race – only leaving them with opportunities for the lowest of jobs possible. Bigger is angry at life and disregards his mother’s good advice to follow a decadent path in life, befriending criminals, armed robbers, and gangsters. His poor attitude to life soon puts him in trouble after he unknowingly kills a white woman and triggers a chain of criminal events on his part, which ultimately leads to his arrest and condemnation to death. 

Mary Dalton 

She is the young white woman who accidentally gets murdered by Bigger, who is employed to drive her around. Mary is a spoilt child from the rich Dalton family. She has traveled to different countries and like her boyfriend Jan, upholds the leftist agenda. Mary’s privilege makes her incapable of understanding the pain and frustration people like Bigger go through every day. Although she patronizes Bigger, her treatment of him isn’t entirely bereft of prejudices. 

Jan Erlone 

The boyfriend of Mary Dalton, Jan, more or less belongs to the same social class as his girlfriend and shares her free, idealistic approach to life. It is Jan and Mary who order Bigger to drive them to a pub in a black neighborhood, an event which leaves Mary drunk, in which case Bigger has to carry her into her room, where the unfortunate incident happens. 

Ma

She is the mother of Bigger, including Buddy and Vera who are Bigger’s juniors. She bears the heavy grunt of having to cater for her children as a single parent after her husband gets killed in a protest when Bugger is still a small child. Ma is very religious and law-abiding and wants the best for her children. Bigger hates Ma for being too gentle and obedient, doesn’t believe in her God, and also doesn’t heed her words. 

Bessie Mears 

A woman battling with alcoholism, Bessie is the girlfriend of Bigger, who ultimately gets murdered by him. Bessie, though leading a decadent lifestyle of her own, isn’t happy with her boyfriend’s criminal actions and doesn’t shy away from letting him know. After Bigger kills a white woman and comes to take shelter at her place, she is terrified and knows that her life is also in danger. She eventually gets raped and kills Bigger after he senses she might rat him out. 

David Buckley

With a burning hate for blacks and having an ulterior motive for wanting to win a case, David Buckley is the corrupt state attorney who presides over Bigger’s criminal trial. With the elections imminent, Buckley is determined to win the hearts of the white mob who are cheering for Bigger to be lynched so he does everything within his power to see to this in order to secure his personal political gains. 

Mr and Mrs Dalton

They are the parents of the slain Mary Dalton. Mr. Henry Dalton is the one who employs Bigger Business to chauffeur his daughter. He is a philanthropist and does his best to support the black community. He owns several businesses including a couple in south side Chicago, where he eventually gets to know about and hires Bigger with the aim of helping the young man. 

Henry is married to Mrs. Dalton who is also Mary’s mother. Mrs. Dalton is physically blind but has a good heart, and is in fact the real reason Henry is doing so much philanthropic work. She wants the best for Bigger when he is introduced to her household and even intends to put him through school. Her goodness is increasingly shown when the truth comes to light with her support for Bigger’s mother and the effort to get a fair punitive measure for Bigger but this she has no control over. 

Max 

A communist party member, lawyer, and friend to Mary’s boyfriend Jan, Max becomes the one who picks up the responsibility of defending the helpless Bigger during his court trial. He seems to be the one that Bigger trusts and feels comfortable opening himself up completely. Max does his best to get a lighter punishment for Bugger, but the weight of his crimes makes that impossible, and in the end, Bigger seems to appreciate his effort. 

Britten

Britten is the crime detective who comes into the picture after Mary is murdered, and her father employs him to search out the killer. His characteristics show glimpses of racism and xenophobia. He is too distracted by this and ends up not being able to understand the full context of what has happened.

Doc

A much more mature black character in Bigger’s neighborhood, Doc is the owner of the public snooker spot where Bigger and his gang come to play and discuss their next criminal move. Doc has enough of the boys’ destructive behavior one time after Bigger spoils something in his shop and bans Bigger from coming around anymore. 

Gang Members

These include Gus, Jack, and GH, Bigger’s friends and gang members. They are the group that Bigger’s mother warns him about because of their tendency toward crime and violence. Bigger and the boys do all kinds of decadent stuff – and they even contemplate robbing a bank before Bigger gets the chauffeur job at Daltons.

Reverend Hammond 

He is the preacher who, on Ma’s permission, attempts to get Bigger to repent and surrender his life to God as the last resort to save his soul, seeing as he’s in prison and has been condemned to death. The whole effort is put to waste as Bigger rejects his preaching and denies him the chance to win his soul. 

Peggy 

Peggy is the maid who has worked for the Daltons long enough to take them as her own family. She does a number of menial jobs at the house – including taking care of the mansion’s furnace, the site where Bigger would secretly burn Mary’s body. Peggy is loyal to the Daltons and acts patronizingly towards Bigger. 

Buddy 

Bigger’s little brother, Buddy seems more reasonable and has a more calm, thoughtful approach to life than his elder brother. Although he understands the gravity of Bigger’s crimes, he is tirelessly by his side and even has a naïve conversation about masterminding a prison break for his brother. 

Vera

Vera is the little sister of Bigger, who has a striking personality that is comparable to her mother, Ma’s. She is known to take the side of Ma during a fracas at the house in the same way Buddy sides with Bigger. Bigger’s crime and trial seem to have a huge impact on Vera’s tailoring career at the YWCA, and she’s one of the people who preaches repentance to Bigger. 

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