Comparing Furnaces
Per Jack J:
I believe Walter and Bigger Thomas are similar in that they both offer typical persepctives through the eyes of an
African-American male during the middle of the twentieth century. He and Bigger both struggle with feeling responsible for their
families, and because of this pressure, both characters come to an unfortunate conclusion; to make quick riches in order to be
happy. What is it about Walter, that gives him the strength to venture away from illegal activities? Does he have a stronger
family? Is he loved in ways Bigger is not? I believe the level of desperation in Bigger exceeds that of Walter's, and I also think
the fire raging inside of Bigger is an emotion Walter does not feel.
2 comments:
I would agree that the fire is not the same in Walter as it is in Bigger. A huge part of this is that growing up, Walter had his father who told him to keep dreaming and not to give up hope. This allowed Walter to have a channel for all of the feelings and desires of mankind, which he poured into dreaming for something big, rather than repressing this desire and worse yet, fearing it so that all Bigger was capable of was destruction.
Another huge difference between them was the type of mother they had. Walter's mother had pride and was "a beautiful woman" she did not let herself be beat. Bigger's mother did not have that inner beauty which is a reflection of the beauty one finds in the world around them. Instead, she was beaten down by life, full of self-pity, and blamed Bigger for their situation, never showing her faith in him by trusting him with her future, or the grace to show him the strength and conviction of her love, when he messed up. The biggest difference, in a word, is Mama's faith.
I think Shauna's comments about Walter's parents vs. Bigger's are right on. I'd agree that the character of the adults plays a large part in shaping them differently.
I'd also say Walter is almost 15 years older than Bigger. He strangely holds the same job, and is just as displeased as Bigger, but I think he has a sense of responsibility (no doubt from his father). I think he gambles with money and does some things that are of questionable legality, but his intentions are for his family. And it's true that he's under illusions of hitting it big, yet they are dreams that focus on his wife and son.
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