In the third part, Bigger's trial takes place. Although it lacks the large amount of action found in the first two parts of the book, it is no less intense. The third part is full of speeches made at the trial, and although they are long, they are filled with importance. Bigger's lawyer, Max, argues passionately for his case, speaking not only about Bigger, but about all the African Americans in the country. Although Max's speech was beautiful, Bigger is still given the death penalty in the end.
I'm conflicted. Bigger did many terrible, terrible things, and his crimes aren't justified. However, I still didn't want him to die in the end. It made my heart ache. Bigger might have been a criminal, but when I finished the book, I was saddened by the fact that Bigger was given the death penalty. But I do think that at the very end of the book, when Bigger was facing his death, he discovered himself. I felt that his last conversation with Max was very powerful and profound. Bigger tells Max, "'...When a man kills, it's for something...I didn't know I was really alive in this world until I felt things hard enough to kill for 'em... It's the truth, Mr. Max. I can say it now, 'cause I'm going to die. I know what I'm saying real good and I know how it sounds. But I'm all right. I feel all right when I look at it that way....'" Perhaps when Bigger was finally given the death penalty, he finally discovered himself. After all, I feel that Richard Wright, the author, made Bigger Thomas a human, not merely a racial symbol.
And in the end, I feel that in the third part of the book, Richard Wright isn't focusing on Bigger, but rather a more complicated story. He's not just trying to talk about Bigger Thomas, he's talking about all the African Americans in America. He's talking about how they live and feel. He's pleading for America to change their minds about the African Americans. Richard Wright is speaking for his own people, but for America too. It is in this part of the book where I think Richard Wright really gets to put in what he wants to say. I think that's what makes this book so powerful. The speech is extremely powerful, when making a plea for all African Americans. It is a strong warning. "'They are not simply twelve million people; in reality they constitute a separate nation, stunted, stripped and held captive within this nation.'" But in the end, I guess the plea is not strong enough for Bigger himself as an individual. The judge was not persuaded, and gave Bigger the death penalty.
Did he deserve it? Bigger did murder. But the society who condemned him is to blame as well. Max says of the white people, "'They want your life; they want revenge. They felt they had you fenced off so that you could not do what you did. Now they're mad because deep down in them they believe that they made you do it. When people feel that way, you can't reason with 'em.'" However, Bigger's actions are not justified. But in my heart, I still didn't want him to die. Perhaps it was Max's powerful speech, perhaps it's just something inside me. Whatever it is, my heart ached when the judge seemed to brush away Max's beautiful speech. Max's plea for society to change their views towards African Americans was simply waved away, and to me, that might be the saddest part of all.
