Native Son: p.53-77

Quote: "The difference in his feelings toward Mrs. Dalton and his mother was that he felt that his mother wanted him to do the things she wanted him to do, and he felt that Mrs. Dalton wanted him to do the things she felt that he should have wanted to do"(61).

Significance: Through this quote, we see how Mrs. Dalton treats Bigger with more respect than his own mother. I find this quote ironic because a white woman is treating a black man nicely and not treating him like he is different from her. Bigger's own mother does not have an open mind about things. She wants him to do things that he doesn't necessarily want to do; just things that will benefit the whole family. On the other hand, Mrs. Dalton looks out for Bigger's best interests and looks at situations based on what Bigger likes.

Question: Are Jan and Mary trying to take advantage of Bigger for their benefit?