Elements Of Irony In Native Son Essay

Elements of Irony in aborigine parole Native Son paints a disturbing, harsh picture of life within the Black rush of Chicago in the 1940s. Wright uses badinage sometimes subtly and at some other times obviously to shape the view of the reader and as a foreshadowing mechanism. From our initial scene to largers stopping point, the technique of mockery employed by Wright is effective, and devastating. Our initial symbol which foreshadows the fate of our protagonist is the wide black rat (5). The rat represents the feelings which Wright explores within large.The rat is killed right away, forward it really has a chance, yet it is qualified to attack bigger before it is destroyed. By attacking instead of fleeing, the rat is caught and destroyed, much like big as the novel progresses. Much like the rat, big teeters between the ravenous (the initial response to the rat) and the hunted (the rat as killed by Bigger). The occurrence that the rat is destroyed by Bigger makes thi s scene even more than humourous. The supposition of artness permeates the novel in several ways.We can hit the psychological and emotional blindness of Bigger, the blindness to reality by the hyper-religious Ma, and the blindness to the real role and ideals of the Communist party by both Jan and Mary. maybe the best use of irony is the physical blindness of Mrs. Dalton. Mrs. Dalton is the epitome of blind she has very sensitive senses (she notices the smell of alcohol in Marys room, saying Youre dead drunk You stink with whiskey (86)) exclusively she is unable to sympathise Bigger cleanup position her daughter.Her extra sensitive listening and lack of sight give Bigger the rea parole and opportunity to anesthetise Mary. Yet, the true irony falls into the situation surrounding Mr. and Mrs. Daltons intricacy with groups such as the NAACP. While they believe that contributions of ping pong tables to inner city youth will help, their insulting charity to Bigger, coupled with Mr. Daltons excessive rent charges, ultimately causes the death of their daughter. Bigger is the most ironic element of the entire novel.From his name, we expect this reference point to make something out of himself, to leak from the ghettoes of Chicago and end up rich, successful and authorised. Wright does not allow this. The idea that Bigger will be destroyed is planted into his own theme and into the readers right away. The naming of this character is a clever device apply by Wright, though its irony is bitter. Bigger is not ironic simply due to his name. His actions too represent a sieve of drift irony. Perhaps the saddest, sickest display of this is the rape of Bessie.While we are uncertain, and it would be unfeasible to prove that Bigger raped Mary prior to killing and decapitating her, by raping and murdering Bessie, a portrait of Bigger as the violent monster is created. This is grievous because it not only shapes the view of the public within the novel, but excessively that of the reader. Wright changes the tone stating He had done this. He had brought all this about (239). Wright seems to do this for a reason, to illustrate how easy it is for the opinion of Bigger to shift, but also to show what a man is capable of when it is expected of him.The irony is that Bigger has, in effect, done himself in by murdering and raping Bessie. He believes that by killing her and tossing her body down the air shaft he shall escape, though fitting the opposite occurs. Ma represents a religious and foreshadowing irony that follows her character throughout Native Son. When she warns Bigger that the gallows is at the end of the road he is travel, she is foreshadowing the fate of her son by the end of the novel (9). She tells Bigger to acknowledge his manhood by killing (the rat), which manifests into his killing Bessie.Through religion, however, we see the most obvious and devastating irony represented by Ma. She attempts to beg for the soul of her son, and gives him a wooden cross to wear around his neck. This cross, especially due to its construction, appears identical to the burning cross of the Klu Klux Klan which Bigger sees out his tuck away cell window. Ma has effectively turned Bigger away from Christianity forever, in spite of her desire to do nothing other than save her sons soul.Bigger ends up feeling that he can break out without a cross.. . that he aint got no soul (338) Irony follows Bigger throughout his life, and ultimately in his death. The introduction of Boris A. Max in Native Son represents a change this is the first time Bigger has been able to explore some of his feelings, and with a white Jewish man It is important to look at Max as a Communist and a Jew, because this makes him suspect in the eyes of popular opinion. Max is able to investigate Bigger questions which are uncomfortable, but which make him think, which finally make him a man.Max states Youre human, Bigger (424). This is the only time th at anyone really says anything of this sort to Bigger. Bigger recognizes this and makes point of it, ironically, as he is about to be commit to death. It is a difficult and important change which Wright employs at this point. Bigger doubting doubting Thomas was doomed from the beginning of the novel. We could see this foreshadowed by the rat, we could quickly sense the irony in his name and his very being. The world in which Bigger Thomas lived was cruel, unyielding in its destruction.We learn early that Bigger could not wink his fate, and we can see this in David Buckley. The district attorney is able to turn thumbs down Bigger and gain public acceptance by putting him to death. on that point is an ironic twist, if we look back to the beginning of the novel. We can see Bigger reading a sign with Buckleys picture and the slogan, YOU CANT WIN (13). Sadly, we find this to be true, with Bigger Thomass death by the novels end. Work Cited Wright, Richard. Native Son.