Native Son to p.340

Quote #1: "Well, you jarred me....I see now. I was kind of blind"(287).

Significance: Bigger seemed so relieved through this quote. All through the text Bigger has been saying how everyone is blind and does not see what the truth is. Jan has finally shown Bigger that there are some white people out there that can see they are blind. He thought no one would ever know what he really did. Jan now realizes what Bigger's intentions were.

Question: How will people feel if Bigger is sentenced to death?


Quote #2: "For the first time in his life a white man become a human being to him; and the reality of Jan's humanity came in a stab of remorse: he had killed what this man loved and had hurt him. He saw Jan as though someone had performed an operation upon his eyes, or as though someone who had snatched a deforming mask from Jan's face"(289).

Significance: Through this quote, we now see that Bigger has allowed himself to have an open mind. After talking to Jan, Bigger sees that Jan is a good person and is not like some of the other white people he knows. Jan wants to help Bigger and he does not want them to be enemies. Jan seems to have good intentions with Bigger and this shows that they could be really good friends later on in the book.

Question: How will Jan help Bigger get out of this mess?

Quote #3: "Never again did he want to feel anything like hope. That was what was wrong; he had let that preacher talk to him until some where in him he had begun to feel that maybe something could happen" (340).

Significance: This quote shows how Bigger views things in different ways. In this case, the cross symbolizes hope. He had hope before that he would not get caught and he could continue to live his life. Having hope got him no where and look where he is now. It does not seem like he has much of a life anymore, but maybe with a different kind of hope he can overcome this obstacle in his life and will be able to see something positive come out of this experience.

Question: Will Max be true to Bigger or will he make his situation worse?

Native Son to p. 286

Quote: " In his feelings he could not tell the difference between what this man evoked in him and what had read in the papers: the love of his own kind and the hate of others made him feel equally guilty now" (282).

Significance: Through this quote, we see that Bigger's emotional and physical state is not 100%. He seems to be confused and mixes up how he feels about certain people. Even though the preacher is trying to tell him to move on, forgive and look to God, Bigger feels as though since he has gone through so much, he doesn't know what to do anymore and doesn't think God can help him. His mother and the preacher make him feel guilty about not believing in God, and the papers and the white people make him feel guilty for what he has done to Mary.

Question: Will Jan say he had any part in the murder now?

Native Son- End of Book 2

Quote:"Round him surged a sea of noise. He opened his eyes a little and saw an array of faces, white and looming" (270).

Significance: Bigger can no longer run. He cannot hide from white people anymore. They officially own him on terms of how the rest of his life will turn out. They could torture him or they could just instantly kill him. After all of the times where he has laughed when he almost died, he now seems to realize everything may have not been worth it and that he now has to face the consequences of his actions. White people engulf him and he cannot escape now.

Question: What will they do to Bigger as punishment?

Native Son to p.209

"The muscles of Bigger's face jerked violently, making him feel that he wanted to laugh. He turned his head aside and fought to control himself. He was full of hysteria" (206).



Significance: Through this quote, we see that Bigger's emotions seem uncontrollable at times. At times where he should be angry, he almost laughs, and at times where he should be laughing, he gets angry. It doesn't make any sense that Bigger would be laughing at a time like this. If anything, he is hinting that he may have done something wrong by laughing while the investigation is going on.

Question: Will Jan say anything about what happened?

Native Son p.163-186

Quote: Bigger felt guilty;...Yet he knew of no way to atone for his guilt; he felt he had to act as he was acting"(171).

Significance: This quote is significant because it shows a different side to Bigger. Before it seemed like it was an accomplishment that he killed Mary and he was glad no one knew he did it, but now he has a different attitude. he is now analyzing what happened and realizing that what he did is going to get him in a lot of trouble. He doesn't want to blame Jan or get her in trouble, but on the other hand, he does not want to suffer the consequences and say that he's the one that killed Mary.

Question:Will Jan think that Bigger is lying?

Native Son p.140-163

Quote: "He sucked on his cigarette; he saw her looking at him, her black eyes wide with eager interest. He liked that look[...] He wanted to take as long as possible in order to see that look of complete absorption upon her face. It made him feel alive and gave him a heightened sense of value of himself"(143).

Significance: Through this quote, we see that Bigger seems to have a confident attitude about the crime he committed. It almost seems like an accomplishment for him that he murdered Mary and no one knows it was him. Being confident about murdering a white woman is not something to be proud of. I think this will effect Bigger for the worst later on in the book.

Question: Will Bigger get caught for what he did?

Native Son pg. 94-140

" To Bigger and his kind white people were not really people;they were a sort of great natural force, like a sky looming overhead, or like a deep swirling river stretching suddenly at one's feet in the dark[...] But whether they feared it or not, each and every day of their lives they lived with it; even when words did not sound its name, they acknowledged its reality"(114).

Significance:This quote shows how Bigger has no control over what happens. He and all of the other black people are not or will not ever be higher up in society than white people. Every day Bigger has to live with the fact that he is basically a no one in society. I think this has something to do with why he killed Mary. He has so much stress and is so paranoid now, that he did not know what else to do. Bigger has to find a way to try and tune it all out so it doesn't ruin the rest of his life.

Question: Will Bigger trust Bessie?