Salma Villarreal Power is often interpreted as the ability to overcome situations with determination. Through my analytical approach of searching for what power truly means and interpreting the power that Bigger had and was faced with I have found many things. The Webster definition of “power” is “the ability or right to control people or things”. I believe that power can only be achieved through what one’s own self perceives power as. Going into this through Webster’s definition of power, Bigger had immense power. Unbeknownst to society, in a way Bigger was in control of their actions and beliefs. He caused them to believe that black people are an atrocious and inferior species. His actions caused to them to act irrationally such as firing their black help, and rioting for someone’s immediate death. In the 1930’s racism and segregation had a hand in every aspect of a African American’s life. In the book and especially towards the end of the book it was evident that Bigger’s power was rising from the oppression society had placed on him. His power ultimately laid in the substantial amount of need to rise above his oppression. From pages 393 to 394 Max speaks of Bigger coming from people who live under queer conditions of life, outside of normal civilization. He speaks of civilization telling him where he could eat, go to school, and live. He then says “but life is not stationary”. In the act of setting guidelines to Bigger’s life they only gave him more power, the power to rebel against the rules and norms for what a black person is and should do. In page 395 he says “but the way we have treated this boy made him do the very thing we did not want”. Max knew that if you tell a group of children they