Native Son - Book Review Native Son is a work of African-American literature, written by Richard Wright and published on March 1, 1940 by Harper & Brothers. Richard Wright was born on September 4, 1908 in Roxie, Mississippi on a plantation. Wright and his family moved to Chicago in 1927 to pursue a better life. Developing a love for writing, he began to write his own stories. He gained national fame after the release of his second book, Uncle Tom’s Children. Native Son has often been called his greatest work of literature and is cited as one of the greatest works of African-American literature. Native Son follows the story of Bigger Thomas, a twenty year old African American man who is struggling to get by in a racist 1940s Chicago. Bigger
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Mary convinces Bigger to take her to meet a friend, who is later reviled as a Communist Party member named Jan. Jan and Mary spend the night drinking and after Jan leaves, Bigger has to take a drunken Mary home. When they arrive at the Dalton house, Bigger finds himself sexually attracted to Mary and attempts rape. Though before it happens, Mrs. Datlon, the blind wife of Mr. Dalton enters Mary’s room calling for her. Bigger holds a pillow over Mary’s face to stop her from speaking. Mrs. Dalton leaves and Bigger finds that he has suffocated Mary. In a panic, Bigger disposes of the body and goes on for the next month declining anything to do with the …show more content…
Bigger runs away to his girlfriend, Bessie. Bessie and Bigger run from the law enforcement and stay in a local hotel. Bigger finds himself becoming more disconnected with society, which leads to an argument with Bessie, ending in Bigger raping Bessie and killing her. After disposing of her body, Bigger is found in the building and arrested. Charged with both murders, he is ultimately sentenced to death. Echoing the Scottsboro Boys case, Bigger has a member of the Communist Party named Max to defend him, though it proves to be ineffective. Bigger ultimately finds that he feels fine with what he has done, and only wishes to go peacefully. Native Son uses the third-person as a way of telling Bigger Thomas’s story. Wright makes good use of explaining the conflicts inside Bigger’s head. Wright’s writing style is relatively simple, though he uses this simplicity in a very beautiful way. Writing descriptive sentences whilst maintaining a simple vocabulary makes it an enjoyable and relatively easy
Mary convinces Bigger to take her to meet a friend, who is later reviled as a Communist Party member named Jan. Jan and Mary spend the night drinking and after Jan leaves, Bigger has to take a drunken Mary home. When they arrive at the Dalton house, Bigger finds himself sexually attracted to Mary and attempts rape. Though before it happens, Mrs. Datlon, the blind wife of Mr. Dalton enters Mary’s room calling for her. Bigger holds a pillow over Mary’s face to stop her from speaking. Mrs. Dalton leaves and Bigger finds that he has suffocated Mary. In a panic, Bigger disposes of the body and goes on for the next month declining anything to do with the …show more content…
Bigger runs away to his girlfriend, Bessie. Bessie and Bigger run from the law enforcement and stay in a local hotel. Bigger finds himself becoming more disconnected with society, which leads to an argument with Bessie, ending in Bigger raping Bessie and killing her. After disposing of her body, Bigger is found in the building and arrested. Charged with both murders, he is ultimately sentenced to death. Echoing the Scottsboro Boys case, Bigger has a member of the Communist Party named Max to defend him, though it proves to be ineffective. Bigger ultimately finds that he feels fine with what he has done, and only wishes to go peacefully. Native Son uses the third-person as a way of telling Bigger Thomas’s story. Wright makes good use of explaining the conflicts inside Bigger’s head. Wright’s writing style is relatively simple, though he uses this simplicity in a very beautiful way. Writing descriptive sentences whilst maintaining a simple vocabulary makes it an enjoyable and relatively easy