Book 3 Part 4

This forum is for the discussion of Native Son, Book 3 Part 4.

Max presents a very long and windy summation as to why Bigger is the way he is and what the people of chicago can do to help lift the black person out of the depths to prevent future crimes. Max pointed out that Bigger killed Mary because she was a symbol of all white mankind and everything bad about them. ( I kind of had a hard time with this part). I think He got scared and killed her and didn't want to get caught. He got greedy and THEN might have gone for the ransom as paybacks for everything the white man ever did or didn't do for and to him!) Bigger couldn't follow ithe speech and and it pissed the judge and jury off as they saw it as propaganda for the communist party. We know that bigger is going to die even though Max petitions the governor after his failure in court. We feel that Max put everything he had into his oratory and than it just about does him in. Bigger wants a final communication with Max looking for that sense of release he had gotten from max when they had talked before the trail. Max doesn't nderstand what Bigger is searching for. They almost miss connection but at the last, at least for Bigger, I think he got it.

There are a lot of Maxs' out in the world helping our society grow. I think I liked him most of all in the book. He was willing to put the effort and know that it was futile.

One of my more favorite books.

I sent away for Wilderness last night, so I hope I get it soon. Otherwise I will wrap up a few others I have in the fire.

Yes there are a lot of Maxes but there are a lot of biggers too, who hide behind racism as an excuse for why they didn't amount to much, get the job/promotion, the spot on the team or whatever. I think some areas of the nation struggle with this more than others. I think it is one of the things that divide politics in america with regard to what some republicans think, ie. 'No more hadout! make the poor work for what they get'and they'll respepct themselves more' and the democrats who say 'no one wants to be poor, so let's give them a hand and they'll make something of themselves'. Neither one has the perfect answer and the thing that really plays havok with either idea is the individual persons mind, values and ethics.

I think that Wright is using the closing speeches as a way to reach the audience/reader. He has created an eloquent speaker in Max, to present the ideas of equality, the purpose, in a way that is most pleasing to the reader. The prosecutor is racist, windy, and contemptuous, causing the reader to desipse him regardless of the reader's feelings towards Bigger and the death penalty. This last section has forced the reader to be a juror.

that was well said brienne. we were forced to be jurors but as reader in thes time we may have come to different conclusions than some of the readers in the 1940's. Maybe Wright was able to chisle away at some readers perceptions.