The protagonist and main character of Native Son is Bigger Thomas. He is the focus of the novel and the embodiment of its main idea--the effect of racism on the mental state of its black victims. Richard Wright's exploration of Bigger's psychological corruption gives us a perspective on the effect that racism had on the black population in 1930s America. Some critics of Native Son have questioned the effectiveness of Bigger as a character. For …showed first 75 words of 815 total…

…showed last 75 words of 815 total…leaving him unable to interact with others and unable to understand himself. It is this quest for wholeness that dominates Bigger's life. Tragically, it is not until he has murdered two women and is soon to be executed that he is able to understand and grasp this wholeness. He is thrilled by his new realization, yet tormented by the fact that it comes too late, when he has only precious little time left to live.