My Bigger Essay, Research Paper

My Bigger

In Richard Wrights ?Native Son? he magnificently describes how he came about of configuring Bigger. He used four specific people to create Bigger. Wright chose people that stood up for themselves almost to a fault. All of the people did have bad ends, but were nevertheless influential in Wright?s, life good or bad. Wright drew from his personal experiences with these people to manufacture Bigger reactions. There were many social circumstances that held Bigger back from succeeding, like poverty, the depression and even his own stubbornness. Bigger was just reacting to his surrounding like Wright?s people did, a good example of this is when Bigger kills the rat and keeps hitting it. That relates with when Bigger No. 5 drew the knife on the streetcar driver asking him to move to the colored car, and he said ?Make me.? My people I?m going to talk about didn?t have to deal with such hardships, but did deal with more national and social challenges.

My Bigger No.1 had a great influence and impact on my life for 17 years and still going. He was born in the first year of the baby boom era. His childhood was good and privileged but it was when he got out of high school when things changed. He did go to college for a half year and flunked out. The country was in a transition period from the mid 60?s to the late 70?s and Bigger No.1 was right in the middle of it and old enough to be affected by it all. And at this time if a man from 18 to 25 wasn?t in college he had to get into the reserves or go to Vietnam where he might die. Bigger No.1 had missed the registration date for the reserves. He didn?t believe in the war and had no intensions of going to it. He was afraid like many men were then, especially if they didn?t like the cause. His father had been in WWII and had nearly died (when he and another man were walking side by side in the jungle they somehow switched places and two step later the other man was killed by a sniper). Bigger No. 1?s father was in the Army and he did get into the reserves, one month late. Bigger No.1 had to spend 4 years in the reserve. Now this wasn?t the hard part, it was what was in the middle. He didn?t know what he wanted to do with his life at this time so he took some odd jobs at a brewery and also worked on a couple presidential campaigns for McGovern, someone?s cause he did believe in. A couple of his good childhood friends had gone to Vietnam and came back messed up, alcoholics and always carrying guns. He didn?t go back to school until he was 24. He started at a community college and then moved to Bradley University. Where he had to work hard for his grades and struggled at times. He ended up graduating with a degree in economics. Bigger No. 1 had about forty years under his belt when he came into my life. He has had an enormous impact on me and where I?m at today. I couldn?t have been able to play all the sports I did as a child and be good and attend Butler if it wasn?t for him. He has always given me great advice on every decision I have had to make, from changing high schools, to going to a community college my first year for school. He always said at the end that it was totally up to me and he would be behind

me in any chose I ever made. And thanks to him I feel I have made some good ones.

Bigger No. 2 has also impacted me greatly, but for 19 years. She also grew up a baby boomer but it wasn?t the country that affected her, it was her family. Her father was a pilot for Delta for 45 years, and they were always moving. She lived in England, Texas, Florida and even the Caribbean. Don?t let all these wonderful places fool you it wasn?t fun. She had to work for everything she has with no help from her parents. She moved away from home to her own apartment and to school at 20 because her parents wouldn?t let her move in with them. She had only two years of college before she took a job with the state as a secretary. She had no help from her family and was always independent. She voiced her opinion about whatever bothered her no matter how insignificant it was. She was outspoken on many matters in society and everyday life. These characteristics were good to have when working for the state, with many people trying to force their views on her and knocking hers. She got this from being forced to be so independent so early and being on her own. She always told me to let people know how you feel about things even if it is small, like a cold dinner at a restaurant. She said ?people will walk all over you and take advantage of you if you don?t.? And to stand up for my beliefs. She has instilled this in me to this day. To this day, she will let people know how she feels on anything, sometimes it may be inappropriate, but it?s who she is and always will be.

Wright used four people but I only used two. Maybe I could?ve used more, but I felt both of these people had great characteristics for someone to have to fight for their beliefs. The original Bigger was a product of his environment of repression and segregation. My people may have not gone through the same hardship as Wrights did, but mine did go through there own type for their time. My person wouldn?t have reacted exactly like the original Bigger but My Bigger would have had his same desires to be something with his life.