Interpretation Of Bigger’s Imbalanced Personality In Native Son In The View Of Triple Personality Theory

Richard Wright is regarded one of the representative figures of Harlem Renaissance after the First World War. Native Son as his masterpiece opens up a new chapter of the Afro-American literature. In Native Son, Richard Wright reveals and condemns racial discrimination in America. This thesis will interpret the imbalanced personality of Bigger Thomas in Native Son from the view of Freud’s "Triple Personality Theory". Through the text, the author analyzes Bigger’s strong id, weak ego and distorted superego. Bigger’s strong id has shown apparently in his brutal instinct, his love for violent and his self-centered way of life. And his ego does work to harmonize the desire of id and the social rules. However, it is not strong enough to prevail over the id all the time. And Bigger’s superego has been distorted by the social rules built by the white world. He has to act as what the white people need him to do instead of what he should do through the outlook of right and wrong. As a result, the superego is distorted and weak and can not struggle with his strong id. Finally, Bigger’s personality turns to be imbalanced. The reasons that caused the loss of balance among Bigger’s personality will be discussed in this thesis as well. The author will analyze the reason from both the internal aspects and extrinsic. The internal reasons consist of repression, fear and hatred in Bigger’s heart. As the novel shows to the readers, he is constantly burned by these negative emotions. And the extrinsic reasons include the unfair situation of the society and the blindness of people. The social situation which forms Bigger’s superego goes totally against to him. So it is almost impossible for him to act according the superego while he is struggling for survival in the outer world. Finally, the three elements of Bigger’s personality lose the balance.