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Richard Wright

Native Son (Perennial Classics) Paperback – August 2, 2005

by Richard Wright (Author)

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“If one had to identify the single most influential shaping force in modern Black literary history, one would probably have to point to Wright and the publication of Native Son.” – Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Right from the start, Bigger Thomas had been headed for jail. It could have been for assault or petty larceny; by chance, it was for murder and rape. Native Son tells the story of this young black man caught in a downward spiral after he kills a young white woman in a brief moment of panic.

Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Richard Wright's powerful novel is an unsparing reflection on the poverty and feelings of hopelessness experienced by people in inner cities across the country and of what it means to be black in America.

This edition—the restored text of Native Son established by the Library of America—also includes an essay by Wright titled, How "Bigger" was Born, along with notes on the text.

Print length

544 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Publication date

August 2, 2005
Dimensions

5.31 x 0.87 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

9780060837563
Lexile measure

700L
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“There have only been two books in my life that have made me cry: the first 50 pages of Jane Eyre and the last 50 of Native Son.…Richard Wright’s masterpiece is in the school of protest novel…Native Son taught me that it’s all right to have passion within your work, that you don’t need to shy away from politics in order to write fiction.” -- Gloria Naylor

“A novel of tremendous power and beauty.” -- Newsweek

“The most powerful American novel to appear since The Grapes of Wrath. . . so overwhelming is its central drive, so gripping its mounting intensity.” -- New Yorker

“It’s difficult to write temperately of a book which abounds in such excitement, in so profound an understanding of human frailty.” -- New York Herald Tribune

“An enormously stirring novel. . . a story to trouble midnight and the noon’s repose and to haunt the imagination.” -- New York Times

“For terror in narrative, utter and compelling, there are few pages in modern American literature that will compare with this story.” -- Saturday Review

“A powerfully blunt novel.” -- Washington Post

From the Back Cover

Right from the start, Bigger Thomas had been headed for jail. It could have been for assault or petty larceny; by chance, it was for murder and rape. Native Son tells the story of this young black man caught in a downward spiral after he kills a young white woman in a brief moment of panic. Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Wright's powerful novel is an unsparing reflection on the poverty and feelings of hopelessness experienced by people in inner cities across the country and of what it means to be black in America.

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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 006083756X
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial Modern Classics; 1st edition (August 2, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780060837563
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 700L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.87 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #15,497 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #241 in Classic American Literature
- #629 in Black & African American Literature (Books)
- #676 in Classic Literature & Fiction

Customer Reviews:
1,753 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		77%
4 star		14%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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T Schoen

A must read!!

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2018

Verified Purchase

Wow! In some ways this reminded me of Camus’ The Stranger.

Wright paints a chilling picture of a young man who, because he’s been unable to determine his own identity and destiny, he’s filled with rage and a quest for action to bring meaning into his life.

When he kills, even accidentally, he finds meaning. He DID something. It mattered.

This novel does more to explain Langston Hughes poem and meaning behind it than anything else I’ve read. (What happens to a raisin in the sun?)

Bigger is the tragic consequence of humanity ignored. Humanity oppressed. But I think compressed is a better word. When people are made to be small... they will either die or explode.

This novel is a must read I think.

47 people found this helpful

Helpful

Rasheed

Oh How Bigger Thomas Shakes us Up

Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2015

Verified Purchase

I first read "Native Son" as a teen some 20+ years ago. It was after reading "Black Boy" that I decided to reread "Native Son". It was about half way through "Native Son" that I realized I hadn't actually read the entire book. In fact, I only read about a quarter of it!! For years I thought I'd read "Native Son" because I convinced myself I had (possibly because, in my youth, having read more than 100 pages of a book constituted "reading" the book for me). I can only think that I claimed to have read it to appease my mother or a teacher and I claimed it so long that I began to believe it!!

The reviews here on this site are plenty to give you an idea of its depth and excellence. My review is about the contrast between my teen reading and my adult reading.

I remember believing that the main character, Bigger Thomas, was brilliant. An ordinary young Black man had gone into the White World, committed an unspeakable crime and gotten away with it by acting like an ordinary young Black man (or so I saw it). That is to say: I thought Bigger's humble, deferential, monosyllabic speech towards White people was all an act. I thought he purposely turned on such an act to allow him to get away with things that they figured were not within his capabilities or his skill set. I thought Bigger was absolutely brilliant. A marionette pulling the strings of White America based upon their prejudices and preconceived notions.

Fast-forward 20+ years and I see Bigger through different eyes (partially because I've read the entire book and partially because my comprehension has evolved and developed). At times he was brilliant and at times he was stone cold stupid. At times he would use the shuffling negro act to his advantage and at other times he would let his ego push him too far. It was all part of the enigma that was Bigger Thomas.

Wright created a helluva character. As an African-American male I was reading about Bigger and loathing him with every fiber of my being because he was the poorest representation of Black men. I couldn't help but think, "This Bigger Thomas is confirming the wicked stuff that White people believe about us! He's a walking affirmation of their stereotypes!" But the fact is... Bigger Thomases exist. They are largely products of their environments. We may not like them, we may have the foulest names to describe them, but they still exist. So, whereas I hated Bigger for the decisions he made and the life he lived, I can't say that Richard Wright didn't give me a jolt. He threw Bigger Thomas in our faces and said, "deal with him." I'm sure every reader deals with Bigger in his/her own way. Some may hate him as I did, some may pity him, some may applaud him and much of that may divide down racial lines or socio-economic lines; in any case we as readers had to deal with Bigger Thomas.

120 people found this helpful

Helpful

Cam's Corner

A Classic

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2020

Verified Purchase

WOW. Ya’ll this book was extremely heavy. As in, I needed a mental break from reading for a few days heavy. Given the current todays climate, it was down right heartbreaking & too triggering to the core.

Bigger Thomas is a 20 year old Black man living in Chicago in the 1930s. He accidentally kills a white woman (it was truly an accident) & the caucasians try to say that it was a planned rape & murder.

Ima be straight up- Bigger was not a likable man which made this book very confusing for me. He was emotionally manipulative, physically abusive & just plain NASTY. The way that he spoke to his family & friends was disgusting. However, he still didn’t deserve the treatment the YTs gave him.

What made my heart pound & pulled me to tears were 2 things. 1) they kept calling this MAN a boy. 2) the way the newspapers portrayed him was despicable. I wept because nothing changed except the year. Black people are still belittled & demonized in the media.

You know what, another thing that pissed me off was the white savior complex shown throughout this book. The parents of the family Bigger drove for boasted how much they help the Black communities & oh does Bigger know about the NAACP & oh wow they’re such great people because they give “helpless Blacks” opportunities to better themselves. SO TIRING!!!! you “help” out Black communities & yet still change them double the rent, but that’s for another rant🙄

There was no happy ending. That shouldn’t be a surprise. I recommend this book because it has to be read, especially by Black people. But please, only if you’re in the mental space to read it.

18 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

nigel bowles

A brilliant but slightly difficult read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2018

Verified Purchase

It is apparently a rather far fetched story of a black teenager. However, as is pointed out in the introduction by the author, the aim of the book is more to reflect the situation of the black community in the inter-war years. The last section, "Fate" is particularly powerful and very political, though a little long winded at times.
In summary, I came to this book after reading "Black Boy" by the same author and I would recommend it if you like strong social comments in your novels.

7 people found this helpful

REA

Utterly breathtaking

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

It’s an earth shattering novel that will haunt you long after you’ve put it down. I read it first at university and it still takes my breath away. I’ve never learnt so much and being forced to see through another’s eyes. Utterly breath taking and a brilliant piece of literature that doesn’t get as much credit or recognition as it should. It is a difficult read and uncomfortable at times but Bigger’s story is our story and worthy of your time.

3 people found this helpful

AnnieC55

A very good but emotionally harrowing read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2017

Verified Purchase

This book I could not put down and a seriously shocking, harrowing story. I appreciated the book from the time he wrote it and the experiences of others. It was well written and interesting. Even though I am still gobsmacked I felt that I connected to every one of the characters at that time.

5 people found this helpful

Donny Rock

Social pronlems

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

An outline of the short life of a 1930s black man from Chicago who sank into murder and the ensuing trials. It's a compellingly told tale of racism, bias and injustice. It's as relevant today as when it was first published in 1940.

Malcolm Vaughan

Brilliant read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2019

Verified Purchase

Absolutely brilliant read! Read this for my English literature course and is very interesting!

2 people found this helpful