“…it is hard to think of a central character in all of literature who is less likeable than Bigger Thomas.”—Introduction, XIX

Bigger Thomas, the main character in Richard Wright’s Native Son, is, as stated by the book’s introduction, a “brutalized and limited character.” Bigger is ashamed, he is a bully, he is violent, he is dangerous, he is angry, he is aggressive, and he is scared of the world as much as he is of himself. In very few circumstances does Wright provide an opportunity for the reader to connect to or empathize with the character who is weighted with the burden of pulling the reader through his 470-page existence. That said, Bigger is very much a product of the society in which he has been trapped. Bigger can find no solace in the safety of his home life, which proves as turbulent and unstable as the outside world. He feels forced into supporting his family members, which only leads to his bitterness and to his rebellion. Bigger struggles to seamlessly manipulate his “friends” into feeling fear that he himself cannot expose. Bigger lacks a self-control that is vital to succeed, yet his success is truly limited by society’s beliefs in racial segregation, prejudice, and inequality. From these racial inequalities, he has become emotionally crippled and segregated, unable to trust anyone inside or outside of his home--and ultimately, unable to trust himself. In this sense, the reader wants to extend salvation to Bigger, has an instinct to save Bigger from the world in which he lives; however, Wright blocks the reader from doing so, and in turn, let’s the reader watch from behind the glass as Bigger slips.