Hood
AP English Language and Composition
Native Son Summer Reading Assignment
Novel: Native Son by Richard Wright
Background Knowledge:
More than simply a story of racism and oppression in America of the 1930s, Native Son tells the
story of a young man as he self-destructs when he turns against society and abandons his
family, friends, and any hope of redemption.
Set against an urban background, this novel creates a compelling story of murder, flight and
punishment. The novel leaves the reader wondering: who is the victim, the murderer or the
two women he kills?
Understanding the Context:
When a student reads Native Son, it is important to remember that Wright wrote this novel in
1940 and that the political and social issues presented in the story are from that time period. As
a result, some of the language in the book, which was socially acceptable at the time it is set, is
not necessarily accepted today.
Some critics also worry that the story condones violence, but others point out that the story is
really the story of an individual rebelling against the circumstances of his life. Many critics
maintain that Native Son condemns racism for all people and accurately describes the
devastating consequences of oppression for the oppressor as well as the oppressed.
Your summer reading assignment involves four parts. All of them are due on the first day of
school. We will use these assignments in our study of the novel, which will be our first unit of
the school year, so failure to complete any section will result in a zero for this assignment and
will cause you to be unprepared for our opening assignments and class discussions.
Part I - Identifications
Each of the following terms has historic significance and is referred to in Native Son. It is
important that the reader (you) understand the allusions (references) in the novel. Look up
each of the following terms using the internet or another reliable resource. Write a concise
definition for each term. Then, explain how each person, place, or event connects to Native
Son. The completed assignment must be typed.
Example: The Great Depression (United States) is the period in American history
that began in 1929 with the crash of the stock market and ended in the late
1930’s. Falling prices, restriction of credit, low input and investment, numerous
bankruptcies, and high levels of unemployment marked the time.
The Great Depression connects to Native Son because it establishes
aspects of the setting of the novel. Bigger Thomas and his family live on the
South Side of Chicago during the Depression. It is difficult for Bigger to find work
and the family lives mostly on welfare.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
J.P. Morgan
Trader Horn (movie)
Scottsboro Boys/Case
Communism
Hitler
Hirohito
7. Mussolini
8. Loeb and Leopold
9. Bruno Hauptman/Lindberg
Kidnapping
10. Jim Crow
11. The Great Migration
Part II – Dialectical Journal
When you return to school in September, we will begin the year studying and discussing this
novel. In order to prepare yourselves for this study and for the essays that you will write, you
will create a dialectical journal while reading the novel. A dialectical journal asks you select
quotations from a literary work and then comment on the quotes you have selected. Specific
directions are included on the attached pages. You will create two journals:
1. 15 entries using the attached guidelines that may address any aspect of the novel. You
must have at least 5 entries from each section of the novel. (See attached page that
states “Creating a Reader’s Log.”)
2. 5 entries using the attached guidelines that must track a particular topic addressed in
the novel. (See attached page that states “Identifying a Theme,” front and back.)
Both journals should be typed or written neatly. Illegible journals will not be graded.
Part III – Reaction Papers
Native Son is split into three parts – “Fear,” “Flight,” and “Fate.” After each section, you will
write a 1-2 page, typed, reaction paper.
A reaction paper is just what its name suggests—a paper explaining your reaction to [the
novel]…Your reaction may involve judgment or evaluation; it may be like an analysis,
because your reaction may focus on a particular character, relationship, scene,
or…technique. It is also like a journal entry, in that it presents a personal reaction rather
than an attempt to provide either definitive judgments or detailed analysis. It differs
from a journal entry, though, in that it is a more formal essay, prepared for an audience.
Like any good essay, your reaction paper should develop one primary idea or
perception, support it with specific evidence (usually references to [particular characters
or elements of plot]), and present both ideas and evidence in clear language and a
logical order. (Friedlander)
Part IV – Questions
If it were possible to cross the time barrier and to meet Richard Wright, what questions would
you ask him about Native Son? Each question should potentially start a insightful discussion. It
is a good idea to include part of the text – even a very small part – as this will provide a starting
point for Wright’s reply. Here are a few sample questions:
Mr. Wright, if Bigger’s “emotions are conditioned by many Marys,” who are the “Marys”
who have influenced him so greatly (114)?
Mr. Wright, is it accurate to say that it was Bigger who “made [other working class black
Chicagoans] lose [their] jobs” after he commits his crime (251)?
Compose three questions you would ask Richard Wright.
Further information:
As stated above, all sections of this assignment are due on the first day of school. If you need
any assistance in completing this assignment, do not hesitate to contact me at
shood10@gmail.com. You may also visit the class website that will be set up and updated
periodically after 6/30 – www.scotthood.wordpress.com.
Hood
AP English Language and Composition
Summer Reading Assignment
In addition to the regular summer reading assignment, Native Son, you will be required to
complete an additional assignment that will give you practice in reading and responding to
essays and arguments. This assignment will also familiarize you with pressing issues affecting
our country and community.
In order to complete this assignment, you will need a folder (preferably with page holders, or
brads) and access to the internet or a public library.
Over the summer, read, annotate, clip and place in your folder at least four editorials or
commentaries/essays (not news articles or informational features) from reputable newspapers
or issues-based magazines (you should mix-and-match, using at least two different sources).
These editorials may be printed from the internet or cut from a print source.
Then, after putting the article in your folder, write an approximately one- to two-page, typed,
response to each of the editorials. In your response you should do two things:
1. Briefly summarize the content of the article.
2. Comment on the aspects of the article that made you think and include your thoughts
about the editorial or the issues.
Responses should be at least one full page. It is sometimes helpful to consider choosing
editorials with which you disagree (makes you think more). Some questions you might want to
think about/comment on in your papers:






Do you agree or disagree with the editorial’s viewpoints? Why?
Did the editorial make you want to know more about the issue?
What are some of the author’s best arguments? What makes them good?
Which arguments or points made by the author do not make sense to you and why?
How does this editorial connect with other knowledge that you have from other
sources?
Anything else this editorial makes you think about...
Your folder with your selected editorials and responses will be due on the first day of class and
will constitute your first project grade. If you foresee any problems completing this assignment,
see me ASAP so that we may resolve them before you leave for summer break.
Be aware that we will work on this and the Native Son projects in the two week summer course
beginning on July 19.
Below are some reputable sources and the links to their opinion/editorial pages. Feel free to
use others. Do not use blogs or sources from non-reputable sites.
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/opinion/index.html
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/index.html
The Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-opinion-commentary.html
The Star Ledger
http://www.nj.com/njvoices/
LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/
The Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/
The Washington Post (requires you sign up for free membership)
www.washingtonpost.com
The Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/
The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/columns
The Economist
http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/
If you have any questions about the appropriateness of an article or any other matter, do not
hesitate to contact me at shood10@gmail.com.