His face softened a bit and the hard glint in his bloodshot eyes died. But he still knelt with the open knife. Then he stood. (pg.38)
From the way the knife is talked about you could learn a lot about Bigger. We learn he takes his fear out in anger and scares other with his knife to hide his fear. We also learn Bigger has a short temper and does not care what other people think or say because while he's mad he doesn't think properly.
I would like it to nervousnes because he uses his knife to hide how nervous he truly is. Being nervous is linked to fear because being nervous comes before or after fear. He was scared to rob Mr.Blum so he got nervous and covered it up with anger.
"How could Bigger have portrayed his fear other then threatening Gus with his knife?"
"Why do you think Bigger hids his fear with anger?"
