Native Son discussion questions
Book One: FEAR
1. Briefly describe how Bigger kills the rat. What does this scene reveal about
Bigger’s character? Explain with evidence.
2. What are Bigger’s choices in life? What are his dreams?
3. Why does Bigger pick a fight with Gus?
4. What does Mary do to make Bigger angry? Why does he kill her?
Book Two: FLIGHT
5. What evidence is there that Bigger is an intelligent young man, far more
intelligent than anyone gives him credit for?
6. Why is Bigger angry at both blacks and whites?
7. Explain Bigger’s plan to frame Jan for Mary’s disappearance?
8. Summarize Bigger’s relationship with Bessie. Why does Bigger kill her?
Book Three: FATE
9. T-T connection: In what ways is Bigger’s life similar to Richard Wright’s life?
10. Discuss Bigger’s feelings of oppression in the story in regard to:
• Poor education
• Unskilled jobs
• Obedience to whites
• Discriminatory housing
11. Discuss the following symbols in the novel:
 The color white
 Fire
 Blindness
 Damaged heads
12. Discuss examples of irony in the story, including the following:
• Hatred of the media for its stereotyping of blacks, yet use of it after Mary
disappears
• Mr. Dalton’s South Side Real Estate Company, which starts Bigger’s harmful
acts
• Bigger’s dreams of being a pilot and the use of the word “flight”