Character Analysis in Native Son Major Characters - SS2 Literature Lesson Note

Character Analysis in Native Son

Major Characters

Bigger Thomas: Bigger is the protagonist of the novel. He is a young Black man who lives in poverty in Chicago. Bigger is a complex and conflicted character. He is both a victim and a perpetrator of violence.

Mary Dalton: Mary is the daughter of the Dalton family, Bigger's employers. She is a white woman who is kind and naive. Mary's murder is a major turning point in the novel.

Jan Erlone: Jan is Mary's boyfriend. He is a white communist who is trying to help Bigger. Jan is a complex character who is both sympathetic and condescending towards Bigger.
Max: Max is Bigger's lawyer. He is a white man who is dedicated to justice. Max is a complex character who is both idealistic and cynical.
Roles and Significance

Bigger Thomas: Bigger is the central character in the novel. His story is a microcosm of the Black experience in the American South. Bigger's journey represents the struggle against racism, poverty, and oppression.
Mary Dalton: Mary's murder is a major turning point in the novel. It forces Bigger to confront his own violence and the reality of racism in the American South. Mary's death also serves as a catalyst for Bigger's transformation.
Jan Erlone: Jan represents the white liberal who wants to help Black people, but who is ultimately unable to understand their experiences. Jan's relationship with Bigger highlights the tensions between white liberals and Black people in the American South.
Max: Max represents the white lawyer who is dedicated to justice, but who is ultimately unable to save Bigger from the electric chair. Max's relationship with Bigger highlights the limits of the law in the face of racism.
Relationships Between the Characters

Bigger Thomas and Mary Dalton: Bigger and Mary are from different worlds. Bigger is a poor Black man, and Mary is a wealthy white woman. Their relationship is doomed from the start. Mary's murder is a reflection of the racial and economic inequality in the American South.
Bigger Thomas and Jan Erlone: Jan wants to help Bigger, but he is ultimately unable to understand his experiences. Jan's relationship with Bigger highlights the tensions between white liberals and Black people in the American South.
Bigger Thomas and Max: Max is Bigger's lawyer who is dedicated to justice. However, he is ultimately unable to save Bigger from the electric chair. Max's relationship with Bigger highlights the limits of the law in the face of racism.

Discussion

Richard Wright's novel Native Son is a powerful indictment of racism in the American South. The novel's major characters, Bigger Thomas, Mary Dalton, Jan Erlone, and Max, all play important roles in exploring the themes of racism, poverty, oppression, and violence.

Bigger Thomas is the central character in the novel. His story is a microcosm of the Black experience in the American South. Bigger's journey represents the struggle against racism, poverty, and oppression.

Mary Dalton's murder is a major turning point in the novel. It forces Bigger to confront his own violence and the reality of racism in the American South. Mary's death also serves as a catalyst for Bigger's transformation.

Jan Erlone represents the white liberal who wants to help Black people, but who is ultimately unable to understand their experiences. Jan's relationship with Bigger highlights the tensions between white liberals and Black people in the American South.

Max represents the white lawyer who is dedicated to justice, but who is ultimately unable to save Bigger from the electric chair. Max's relationship with Bigger highlights the limits of the law in the face of racism.

Native Son is a powerful and disturbing novel, but it is also a very important one. It is a novel that we should all read and reflect on.