Native Son, by Richard Wright

[inverarity]

Examining America's racial troubles in 1940, many of the author's words and Bigger Thomas's thoughts seem disturbingly contemporary.

Comments

[paulliver]

Reading "Native Son" was one of the most emotionally difficult experiences of my reading life, but I would not put it down. Notice I said "would" not, not "could" not. When he was a bully, it was because he was afraid of powerlessness. When he murdered the first woman, it was an accident caused by his own fear of being in trouble for something he hadn't done, and everything after that, including murdering the second woman, was from fear of being caught for what he had done.

Notice that the second woman he murdered was African American, but the white justice system didn't put him in jail for that, just used her body as proof that Thomas could have killed the white woman.

[surrey_sucks]

I read this book a few years ago, and while I don't remember much anymore, I do recall really liking it. Definitely a book worth reading.