Bessie
Though Bessie Mears played a small part in the novel, Native Son by Richard Wright, her relationship to Bigger and the circumstances surrounding her death impacted the story in key ways. Any chance that Bigger had in gaining sympathies for what had happened in his life was diminished through his treatment of Bessie. Bessie was considered Bigger’s girlfriend, yet his only interests in her seemed to be using her as an avenue in order to rob the white people she worked for and for Bigger’s sexual purposes. For Bigger, their relationship was established on convenience, rather than love, respect, and affection. Bessie, however, loved Bigger the best that she could.
After Bigger killed Mary, he sought Bessie’s help in getting money from Mary’s family by pretending Mary had been kidnapped. Initially, Bigger only shared with Bessie that Mary was gone and wouldn’t be returning. Bessie was suspicious that Bigger had done something to Mary but he continuously denied any wrong doings. However, Bessie didn’t believe him and feared that she was in danger. Bessie pleaded with Bigger to keep her out of his scheme:
Bigger, please! Don’t do this to me! Please! All I do is work, work like a dog! From morning til night. I aint’ got no happiness. I ain’t never had none. I ain’t got nothing and you do this to me. After how good I been to you. Now you just spoil my whole life. I’ve done everything for you I know how and you do this to me. Please, Bigger” (180).
Bigger responded by threatening to kill her. Though she continued to beg him not to send the ransom note, he told her that she didn’t have a choice in being a part of it, she was already in it.
When Mary’s bones were discovered, Bigger desperately ran back to Bessie and confessed everything to her. Bessie reacted with great fear and concern. She believed that Bigger had ruined her life and she wished that she was dead. Bessie told Bigger:
I see everything you ever did to me. I didn’t want to see it before. I was too busy thinking about how good I felt when I was with you. I thought I was happy, but deep down in me I knew I wasn’t. But you got me into this murder and I see it all now. I been a fool, just a blind dumb black drunk fool. Not I got to run away and I know deep down in your heart you really don’t care (230).
Bigger completely ignored what Bessie said. He decided that for his own protection he needed Bessie to run away with him. Though she is in a state of shock, he grabbed her and forced her to go with him.
After they located an abandoned building in which to hide in, Bessie was still struggling with everything that had happened. Bigger saw that she was distraught and decided that she was too much of a liability to keep around. After considering the liability that Bessie held, Bigger rapped Bessie. Afterwards, as she was falling asleep, Bigger considered Bessie’s role in his escape and concluded that, “He could not take her with him and he could not leave her behind” (235). Bigger than found a brick and killed Bessie by bludgeoning her to death. With no regard, Bigger dumped Bessie’s body down an airshaft. His only regret was not getting her pocketbook to retrieve his $90.
Any attempt of the author, Richard Wright, to soften Bigger’s character into a more sympathetic role was ruined when Bigger raped and then killed Bessie. Bigger’s murder of Mary seemed out of panic. Scared of being found in Mary’s room by Mary’s mother, he smothered Mary accidently to keep her quiet. Readers could have been sympathetic for Bigger’s circumstance and the fear that he was faced with. However, killing Bessie was more savage. Though killing Bessie was also for his self-protection, he had had an intimate relationship with her for some time. His rape and murder of Bessie was violent and unjustified.
After Bigger was captured he was charged with the rape and murder of Mary. During his trial, the prosecution presented Bessie’s body as evidence to use as evidence in ensuring that Bigger would be found guilty of Mary’s murder. Bigger actually becomes angry over this. He was upset that the court would exploit Bessie in this manner, though he failed to recognize his part in using her while she was alive. The novel reads, “Though he had killed a black girl and a white girl, he knew that it would be for the death of the white girl that he would be punished. The black girl was merely ‘evidence’” (331). Bigger deflects any responsibility regarding his treatment of Bessie to the white authorities who were exploiting her during the trial.
After Bigger had killed Bessie, he reflected that, “Never had he had the chance to live out the consequences of his actions; never had his will been so free as in this night and day of fear and murder and flight” (239). Bigger’s relationship with Bessie was always one of self-interest. Even when her life was in his hands, he had no regard for her. Ultimately Bigger’s treatment of Bessie persuades readers to be unsympathetic toward him.
Though Bessie Mears played a small part in the novel, Native Son by Richard Wright, her relationship to Bigger and the circumstances surrounding her death impacted the story in key ways. Any chance that Bigger had in gaining sympathies for what had happened in his life was diminished through his treatment of Bessie. Bessie was considered Bigger’s girlfriend, yet his only interests in her seemed to be using her as an avenue in order to rob the white people she worked for and for Bigger’s sexual purposes. For Bigger, their relationship was established on convenience, rather than love, respect, and affection. Bessie, however, loved Bigger the best that she could.
After Bigger killed Mary, he sought Bessie’s help in getting money from Mary’s family by pretending Mary had been kidnapped. Initially, Bigger only shared with Bessie that Mary was gone and wouldn’t be returning. Bessie was suspicious that Bigger had done something to Mary but he continuously denied any wrong doings. However, Bessie didn’t believe him and feared that she was in danger. Bessie pleaded with Bigger to keep her out of his scheme:
Bigger, please! Don’t do this to me! Please! All I do is work, work like a dog! From morning til night. I aint’ got no happiness. I ain’t never had none. I ain’t got nothing and you do this to me. After how good I been to you. Now you just spoil my whole life. I’ve done everything for you I know how and you do this to me. Please, Bigger” (180).
Bigger responded by threatening to kill her. Though she continued to beg him not to send the ransom note, he told her that she didn’t have a choice in being a part of it, she was already in it.
When Mary’s bones were discovered, Bigger desperately ran back to Bessie and confessed everything to her. Bessie reacted with great fear and concern. She believed that Bigger had ruined her life and she wished that she was dead. Bessie told Bigger:
I see everything you ever did to me. I didn’t want to see it before. I was too busy thinking about how good I felt when I was with you. I thought I was happy, but deep down in me I knew I wasn’t. But you got me into this murder and I see it all now. I been a fool, just a blind dumb black drunk fool. Not I got to run away and I know deep down in your heart you really don’t care (230).
Bigger completely ignored what Bessie said. He decided that for his own protection he needed Bessie to run away with him. Though she is in a state of shock, he grabbed her and forced her to go with him.
After they located an abandoned building in which to hide in, Bessie was still struggling with everything that had happened. Bigger saw that she was distraught and decided that she was too much of a liability to keep around. After considering the liability that Bessie held, Bigger rapped Bessie. Afterwards, as she was falling asleep, Bigger considered Bessie’s role in his escape and concluded that, “He could not take her with him and he could not leave her behind” (235). Bigger than found a brick and killed Bessie by bludgeoning her to death. With no regard, Bigger dumped Bessie’s body down an airshaft. His only regret was not getting her pocketbook to retrieve his $90.
Any attempt of the author, Richard Wright, to soften Bigger’s character into a more sympathetic role was ruined when Bigger raped and then killed Bessie. Bigger’s murder of Mary seemed out of panic. Scared of being found in Mary’s room by Mary’s mother, he smothered Mary accidently to keep her quiet. Readers could have been sympathetic for Bigger’s circumstance and the fear that he was faced with. However, killing Bessie was more savage. Though killing Bessie was also for his self-protection, he had had an intimate relationship with her for some time. His rape and murder of Bessie was violent and unjustified.
After Bigger was captured he was charged with the rape and murder of Mary. During his trial, the prosecution presented Bessie’s body as evidence to use as evidence in ensuring that Bigger would be found guilty of Mary’s murder. Bigger actually becomes angry over this. He was upset that the court would exploit Bessie in this manner, though he failed to recognize his part in using her while she was alive. The novel reads, “Though he had killed a black girl and a white girl, he knew that it would be for the death of the white girl that he would be punished. The black girl was merely ‘evidence’” (331). Bigger deflects any responsibility regarding his treatment of Bessie to the white authorities who were exploiting her during the trial.
After Bigger had killed Bessie, he reflected that, “Never had he had the chance to live out the consequences of his actions; never had his will been so free as in this night and day of fear and murder and flight” (239). Bigger’s relationship with Bessie was always one of self-interest. Even when her life was in his hands, he had no regard for her. Ultimately Bigger’s treatment of Bessie persuades readers to be unsympathetic toward him.