Native Son blog pg. 94

3/25/09

"He got the hatchet, held the head at a slanting angle with his left hand, after pausing in an attitude of prayer, sent the blade of the hatchet into the bone of the throat with all the strength of his body. The head rolled off" (92).

although a very gruesome quote, i belive that Wright intentionally uses this quote to explain the savageness and non humane nature of Bigger throughout the novel. We are all aware that Bigger is a very unstable person, and protects himself with the only thing he knows how to, violence. This incident is only a mere example of how Bigger is easily angered and how easily his emotions are corupted. When Mrs. Dalton walks in the room he is afraid that Marry will release information that might get him in trouble and possibly fired. In defence Bigger smothers Marry out of impulse and instinct to protect his cover. Also it seems as though this is just another hit for Bigger. He wasnt like most people who after they murdered someone, especially someone of such high calibur as Marry, would be an emotional wreck and ouldnt live with themselves. Bigger on the other hand was already planning out how he was going to ferociously decapitate Marry and burn her, and how to cover it all up.

Do you really think that Mr. and Mrs. Dalton will accuse Jan of this murder?

Do you think that Mrs. Dalton might secretly know that Marry is dead?