The Theme of Violence in Richard Wright's Fiction: Uncle Tom's Children ,Native Son, and The Outsider.

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is twofold; first, it seeks to present some different types of violence and theories that deal with these types in different communities. Second, the thesis offers readings of some of Richard Wright's literary works that discuss the theme of violence. Hence, Chapter one introduces some definitions of the term "violence". Mainly the thesis presents violence against blacks and collective violence. It is referred to Nietzsche's theory about masters and slaves to discuss how racial discrimination works to bring more violence against black people. It is also referred to Marx's and Sartre's economic and existential theories to demonstrate some of the causes of economic collective violence, and finally to the Huntington's political theory that predicts future wars and political collective violence. Chapter two "Uncle Tom's Childern: The White Man's Violence and the Black's Victimization" traces different shapes of violence practised by the white man against black people in the segregating American South during the last century. The chapter compares and contrasts the passive uncle toms and their positive children. After an introduction that summarizes some of the unjust compelling ethics that used to prevail in that racial society, Wright presents five novellas along which the idea of resisting the white's violence develops. In chapter three "Native Son: the Black's Reaction to the White's violence" Wright moves a step further in describing the changes in the racial white\black relationship in his country. Bigger Thomas, the main black character is never satisfied by only resisting the white folks' iii violence. He suffers from a long heritage of segregation in his native country and, thus, decides to take vengeance on white folks who cause his and his people's suffering. In fact, Bigger is America's native son. He is the product of racial America. His violence is surprising and unexpected however not unusual in his racial community. However aggressive are Bigger's actions, they are a mere reaction to the whites' previous vehement actions. Chapter Four: "The Outsider: An Image of