Native Son

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Native Son
Richard Wright
1940

The Summary
Native Son chronicles a brief time in the life of Bigger Thomas, a young black man living in Chicago before the outbreak of World War II.

This novel reveals the conditions Bigger confronts while living in Chicago's "Black Belt," such as a rat-infested apartment, inflated rent prices, racism, fear, and hatred, and how his growing anger with the status quo results in an irrevocable crime that may cost him his life.

The Good
For such an emotionally and psychologically complex novel, Richard Wright has made Native Son into an accessible story.  Despite its great length, Native Son reads fairly easily and pages nearly turn by themselves.  Moreover, Wright clearly defines his characters and gives them a depth rivaled only by the poignant nature of his novel.

The Bad
Wright has no intention of pulling punches with this novel.  It is a raw and uncompromising look at Bigger's life and his rising resentment - and clarity - concerning the segregation of and corruption in society.

Additionally, Wright never seeks to make Bigger a likeable character; instead, he looks to toy with your emotions and twist your sympathies into knots and wear your nerves raw.  Like John Steinbeck with The Grapes of Wrath, he will force you to look at the uglier side of human existence for long periods of time and rub your nose in the ultimate unfairness of society.

The Ugly
Racism, hatred, fear, and anger permeate every page of Wright's novel.  The treatment Bigger faces from the larger (and richer) white population of Chicago and his own actions in retaliation will undoubtedly appall and disgust.

Although Native Son promises accessibility to readers with its straightforward language and uncomplicated dialogue, this novel sometimes requires a break.  Murder, brutality, racism, questionable actions, and extreme violations of human rights are just the tip of the iceberg.

And, I can assure you, putting aside this novel may be required for the particularly harsh scenes; otherwise, I see no way of surviving Native Son with your emotional stability intact.