Native Son's Bigger Thomas

Watts 1963, 1995 I chose this particular painting by Kerry James Marshall because the three children within the painting remain me Vera, Buddy, and Bigger Thomas. The black shadow beneath each of the children is representing the cruelty, hatred, and lack of possibilities in their lives. Bigger is the boy curled into a fetal position upon the ground engulfed by the darkness around him because he decided to wallow in self-pity. He does not seek advancement in any area of his life because it is easier for him to lie down and complain about how unfair life is than to do something about it. In contrast to Bigger, Vera, the girl standing in the shadow, is trying to combat against her circumstances. She is going to school to learn a craft that will
Both adults and children, who lived in the black belt district of Chicago, were taught or in the eyes of narrow-minded Whites, trained to be seen and not heard by society. When Blacks followed this instruction they had the possibility of living a life similar to fool’s gold. People like Mr. Dalton would treat them with a glimmer of respect, never outright cruel but also never treat those who differed from the ideal as equals. However if an African American spoke out against discrimination or sought to obtain equality they rightly deserved, the façade of niceties were quickly ripped away to reveal a monster seething with hatred. Black belt residents could not complain about their living situations or how it could massively affect their health and well-being, represented by the Red Cross in the painting. The small blocks of yellow, red, green, and black lines, symbolizes the Pan-Africanism movement and how many could not voice their support of unity and pride without enduring slurs, physical assault, and harassment. A practice Mr. Boris A. Max tried to help eradicate to the best of his
The left of the work of art is who Bigger is, a man who has the power of death in his hand and is too immature to understand it is not a power but a curse. A curse that will surely lead to his death, signified by the calla lilies. The painting also shows what the present Bigger must endure, depicted by the tree loosely wrapped in police tape, it is every racist person who tells Bigger he cannot partake in the life he desires because of the color of his skin. The right direction of the painting is a peek into an alternate universe, where Bigger was born beyond the abolishment of segregation and the normalization of racism, presenting a child who is if not happy than less burden heavy. A child who can experience the simple pleasures in life that most take for granted. For instance, riding in a toy car that in a child’s mind is barreling down a raceway to win the first place trophy or even fly amongst the cloud until his mother calls him to return home for