Lutie Johnson

Words: 793
Pages: 4
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André Ajabor
African American Literature 1940 – Present
@02709326
Question:
As portrayed in both novels, how is Lutie Johnson’s murder of Boots Smith and Bigger Thomas’s murder of Mary Dalton a direct representation of oppression?
Intro Paragraph:
Lutie Johnson the Protagonist in Ann Petry’s novel The Street (1946) is an African American mother who lives in segregated America during the 1940’s. Throughout the novel we see Lutie struggling with the hardships of life, trying to get herself and her son Bub away from the street. The street is a ghetto in New York City that Lutie Johnson will try desperately to escape. She wishes to do better for herself and wants the best for herself and for Bub. Her goal is to get out of the ghetto and she …show more content…
Within Native Son, we see Bigger Thomas in a frenzy of fear trying to silence Mary Dalton, in an attempt to keep his job, which is to fit within the normative American society, fearing that he could revert back to his oppressive urban …show more content…
His quick reaction to cover Mary’s face, determined to ensure that she doesn’t move or make any sound shows how Bigger will do anything out of desperation to not mess up his opportunity for a better life. He reacts out of fear from white approval as he can hear Ms. Dalton approaching. He doesn’t pay attention to the fact that he is killing Mary Dalton. All Bigger can see is an opportunity to save his livelihood in an attempt to beat oppression and to fit into what he believes is normative society. Bigger is blind and can’t see the reality that he faces.
Synthesis Section:
Both Lutie and Bigger’s quest for the “American Dream,” is ultimately hindered by oppression. The oppression itself frustrates both characters, blinding them and compelling them to react in a rage of fear and desperation in an attempt to try to escape there past environments. This is so that they can to fit into what they believe is the normative American society. However, both end up committing crimes, not seeing that they contributed to their own downfall and consequently are what results in both of the protagonists’
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