Minor Characters in Native Son - SS2 Literature Lesson Note

Minor Characters in Native Son

Buddy Thomas: Bigger's brother. Buddy is a kind and caring person who is always trying to help Bigger. However, he is also naive and does not fully understand the challenges that Bigger faces.
Vera Thomas: Bigger's sister. Vera is a young girl who is trying to find her place in the world. She is also struggling to come to terms with the violence in her life.
Mr. and Mrs. Dalton: Bigger's employers. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton are wealthy white people who are kind and generous to Bigger. However, they are also oblivious to the challenges that he faces.
Boris Max: Bigger's lawyer. Max is a white man who is dedicated to justice. He is also a complex character who is both idealistic and cynical.
Roles and Significances

Buddy Thomas: Buddy represents the good in Bigger's life. He is a reminder that there are people who care about Bigger and want to help him. However, Buddy's naivety also highlights the challenges that Bigger faces.
Vera Thomas: Vera represents the next generation of Black people in the American South. She is trying to find her place in the world, but she is also struggling to come to terms with the violence in her life. Vera's story is a reminder that racism and oppression have a lasting impact on people's lives.
Mr. and Mrs. Dalton: Mr. and Mrs. Dalton represent the white privilege and obliviousness that Bigger faces. They are kind and generous to Bigger, but they are also unable to understand the challenges that he faces. Their story is a reminder that white people need to be more aware of the racism and oppression that Black people experience.
Boris Max: Max represents the hope of justice in a racist society. He is a white man who is dedicated to fighting for Bigger's rights. However, Max's inability to save Bigger from the electric chair is a reminder that the law is not always fair.
Relationships Between the Characters

Bigger Thomas and Buddy Thomas: Bigger and Buddy are brothers. They have a close relationship, but Buddy is often frustrated by Bigger's secretive and rebellious behavior.
Bigger Thomas and Vera Thomas: Bigger and Vera are brother and sister. They have a close relationship, but Bigger is often overprotective of Vera.
Bigger Thomas and Mr. and Mrs. Dalton: Bigger is employed by Mr. and Mrs. Dalton. He has a complex relationship with them. They are kind to him, but he is also aware of the power imbalance between them.
Bigger Thomas and Boris Max: Max is Bigger's lawyer. He has a professional relationship with Bigger, but he also cares about him as a person.
Discussion

The minor characters in Native Son play important roles in exploring the themes of racism, poverty, oppression, and violence. Buddy Thomas represents the good in Bigger's life, Vera Thomas represents the next generation of Black people in the American South, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton represent white privilege and obliviousness, and Boris Max represents the hope of justice in a racist society.

The relationships between the characters highlight the challenges that Bigger faces as a young Black man in the American South. His relationship with Buddy is strained by Buddy's naivety, his relationship with Vera is strained by his over protectiveness, and his relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Dalton is strained by the power imbalance between them.

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.