LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 16:3 March 2016
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Renuga Devi, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Rhythm of Life in Richard Wright’s Native Son

V. Tamil Selvi, M.A., M.Phil.
Dr. R. Padmavathi


Abstract

The Existential Theory of Rollo May discusses the purpose of freedom and anxiety in human beings. The life of the protagonist Bigger Thomas in the novel Native Son gives him a chance to choose his own way of life to attain either mental or physical freedom to choose and direct his life either constructive or destructive. Richard Wright’s Native Son is a protest novel. The three sections, fear, flight, and fate, bring out the nature of human life and shows that psychological changes will always make everyone to face either construction or destruction to one’s self or to others. The life of Bigger Thomas in Native Son reveals the strength of individual in forming his self-identity in American soil which made him gain meaningless power, which, in turn, led him to develop his anxiety and hatred feelings to face death in the end.

Keywords: Richard Wright, Rollo May, Existential theory, Freedom, Power, Love, Native Son, Fear, Flight, Fate.

Rollo May

Rollo May was an influential American psychologist. He introduced a new branch of psychology called existential psychology. Existentialism is a study based on man's search for meaning and purpose in life. May’s idea of existentialism came through personal hardship. May suffered with tuberculosis, a bacterial lung infection, and hospitalized for several years. During his illness, May explored meaning of life in the face of his death. This curiosity ultimately led May to study clinical psychology. In fact, he was the recipient of the first PhD in clinical psychology granted by Columbia University.

May's Theory of Existential Psychology

Rollo May's theory stems from humanistic psychology. This focuses on the capacity for growth and achievement in human beings. May explored the purpose of anxiety in human beings. His exploration proved that anxiety emerged because of uncertainty in life and of looming death. May’s theory analysed that human beings fear death because they cannot comprehend their own lack of existence. May believed that facing these feelings of anxiety and fear was a necessary experience in achieving personal growth and meaning in life.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

V. Tamil Selvi, M.A., M.Phil.
Research Scholar, Bharathiar University
Coimbatore
Tamilnadu
India
selvi_sekar@hotmail.com

Dr. R. Padmavathi
Senior Professor, Post-graduate Department of English
PSGR Krishnammal College for Women
Coimbatore 64104
Tamilnadu
India
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