FREEDOM OF CHOICE: A STUDY OF RICHARD WRIGHT’S NATIVE SON

Abstract

This paper attempts to highlight the conditions of African American immigrants in American soil. Richard Wright is a post- colonial writer of 19th century African American writers, presented his themes of racial prejudice. It was the time of Great Depression, where most of the African American families started migrating from the south, in search for employment in the cities of north. The great depression is the stormy period in American history. The present work focuses on the analysis of the life of protagonist with glimpses of identity crisis and racism. This paper seeks to study the status of blacks under white supremacy and the feelings of rage or violence been the tool used by the character to find a solution. However, Richard Wright tries to bridge the gap between the whites and blacks with the speech of Boris A Max in the last section of the novel “Fate”. Richard Wright illustrates that racism is destructive to both the groups, though for different reasons. Bigger Thomas is the embodiment of black revolt against the injustices of white society; the revolt takes place in the form of murder.