Native Son - A Book Review

Native Son by Richard Wright is a novel that gives a disturbing view of society. The main character, Bigger Thomas, is anything but a hero. The society of the nineteen forties Chicago area that his character exists in is equally, if not more problematic than post civil war southern America. Native Son is riddled with cultural, intellectual and physical confrontations. Deciding whom to assign blame to for the books tragedies is difficult due to many seemingly responsible parties.

Bigger Thomas is plagued by his own lack of knowledge. Having come from poverty and having few positive opportunities, he is doomed by is own ignorance and lack of motivation for what is good from the beginning. But this is only one of the facets that may be root of the novels tragedies. Society is at fault for letting Bigger Thomas and the black minorities live the way described in the novel.

Through the guise of anti-Semitism blacks are oppressed severely. Chicago is filled with opulence that is enjoyed by few but is seen by all. This segregation is but one of the many degrees of separation that divides the people. Unspoken rules of hosing regulations put in place by rich white realtors kept the other races in segregated areas.

Another important issue that may have some bearing on the novels tragedies is the fact that the difference in the way peoples thinking. Bigger was thrown into a culture shock when he gained work with the Dalton family. The daughter and her boyfriend are part of the communist party. They believe in equality for all man a concept totally foreign to Bigger. As much as the daughter Mary and her boyfriend Jan try to empathize with Bigger the more he feels awkward. Mr. And Mrs. Dalton are equally as different minded. If Mr. Dalton is not racist himself he is a sheltered mind. As much as anyone outside of Biggers neighborhood tries to understand him they fall miserably short.

Members of society and government also played a significant role in the tragedies. The media will crucify those whom they choose. The police department is more inclined to make an arrest of a black man based solely on skin color. The judicial system is also unfairly weighted against the black person.

With so many variables weighing against Bigger, it is now wonder that bad things happen to and by him. He and his entire race in that area are predisposed to the evils that man inflicts upon man. None of the tragedies in the book needed to have taken place if people treated each other with a common respect.

First Mortgage Experience

After discovering that a mortgage payment would only be slightly more than paying rent, I decided to search for a loan. My first stop was lendingtree.com, after submitting a few forms I received several offers in short order. The Lending Tree system is nice but not without its flaws. The fact that the loan rates a lender supplies and the rate at closing, can be two different numbers.

With some more searching and research, I discovered that you can actually make more buy investing what you normally use as a down payment and financing 100% of the mortgage. Thus began a search for a lender offering this type of loan. Wells Fargo was the first lender I came across that offered such a loan. I was weary of them after reading something about predatory lending practices but decided they are a reasonably solid name and would be worth a shot. The application processes required a constant stream a documents, verification calls, references and the like. Well over a month after applying and not seeing an approval anywhere in site, I stopped the process.

The next option should have been my first, seek out a reputable mortgage broker. A friend of mine was in the business so I decided to give him a call. The benefit of going through a broker is that they work for your best interest and not the banks. In a relatively short time we had an approval and got our home. The downside to using a mortgage broker is the fee they charge. This fee is included in the closing costs and must be paid at the closing. The benefit is that in the long run, the fee you pay can seem miniscule when they get you a better interest rate.

An Online Degree

An online degree began to sound better all the time after starting a business while in college and getting married so I opted against commuting two hours each day to Kent State University. After talking to a representative from the University of Phoenix, I was not overly impressed. What did grab my attention was what I heard about AIU (American Intercontinental University). They offer a bachelors degree in Visual Communications which from what I gather seems to be a graphic design focus with a high-tech twist. Because art, design and computing are passions of mine, this program seemed to be the one for me. I submitted an application on the AIU website wrote an entrance paper and paid the fifty dollar application fee and was accepted in short order.

Over the next thirteen months I will document my experiences in acquiring a Bachelor of Arts degree online. My attendance at American Intercontinental University and communications, except those that are not legal to disclose will be included. To date my experience with the staff has been exemplary. The advisor and admissions staff have been very informative and helpful in all aspects of getting into the school and acquiring the necessary funding for the classes.