One big question

Once again the recommended reading table of the Strand does me proud! I just finished Walter Mosley's "Fortunate Son" and cannot stop thinking about the underlying messages of the story. "Fortunate Son" is the story of two boys who were raised as brothers while young children, were separated, and then reunited. Eric is described as a handsome, nordic male who is very intelligent and athletic and seems to be able to accomplish anything he wishes. Thomas is a sickly uncoordinated black male who suffers many personal misfortunes but has an internal optimism that allows him to see the beauty of the world. On its most basic level the story is a bit predictable but on a deeper level it brings up and argues through the novel form many interesting social questions about race, privilege, success, and culture in modern America.

Without deeper thought I would be disappointed by Mr. Mosley stereotyping of many of the black characters, the absentee black father, the black grandmother who doesn't work and lives off the system, the young black woman who is very promiscuous and drug addicted. However, if we look deeper at these characters we see very wounded souls who have done the best with what they are given. They want to do and be better. We see, not only their limitations and failures that are most obvious through the telling of this story, but also their brave wishes and hopes and their attempts to be better through the ever optimistic eyes of Thomas. These characters are dragged down to their basest meanest selves by the environment they are forced to live with and the failures they are forced to endure. Thomas and his mother despite living among the same poverty and failure choose to look for the silver lining and are therefore happier people.

However, this story is compared and contrasted with the story of the economically privileged white characters. Once again, Mr. Mosley initially presents these characters as stereotypical, however, a deeper reading shows this privilege and supposed contentment is only skin deep. The white successful privileged characters do not know how to love and therefore cannot be truly happy despite their wealth and success. Only Thomas, the boy that the world tried to digest but couldn't so vomited out as a vagrant can help these privileged characters find real happiness. It is his optimism that the author argues, not money or success or skin color that allows people to be happy.

So the question that keeps blowing my mind is not the race question, and not the economic question, not the social question, but rather how, in a shitty world, does one stay optimistic. This seems to be the trueism of the story, and I think life. Those people who, despite their disappointments or success, failures or victories, injuries or joys, remain optimistic will be happier living this life. They can bring joy to themselves and the people they love. Once I find the answer to that question maybe I could be more like Thomas, the fortunate son.