Socratic Seminar Time!

NATIVE SON - BOOK ONE 

1) What did you think about the opening scene of the book. After reading to the end of book one, do you think it was a good start?

2) Book One is called “Fear”…why do you think Richard Wright chose this word as the title?

3) At one point, Bigger says how he hates his family because they were so poor and will always be poor. Could you ever emphasize with this feeling of regret that he has?

4) Why do you think Bigger carries a gun all the time, everywhere he goes?

5) Knowing Bigger’s shaky background if you were in Mr. Dalton’s shoes would you hire him? Why or why not?

6) Bigger is angry at the fact that Jan and Mary were not being prejudice to him and being so accepting. Do you think you’d feel as uncomfortable and mad if you were in his position?


7) What are your views on Mary Dalton, Mr. Dalton’s daughter. Do you find her annoying or harmless? What do you think of her death?

8) Bigger was subject to racism by the Dalton family and by other white characters. Do you think he also took part in racist thoughts against white people?

9) What’s the significance of Mrs. Dalton, Mary’s mother, being blind. Why didn’t Richard Wright just make her normal?

10) If the police find out that Bigger killed Mary they will most likely charge him with rape as well, and sentence him to death. If this predicament occurred today, where a black man working for a wealthy white family committed manslaughter what would happen? Would it be that much different from back in the 30’s?