Native Son
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Book 1 Book 2 Book 3
Themes
All Themes Whiteness, Blackness, and Racism Capitalism and Communism Crime and Justice Anger and Charity Death, Life’s Purpose, and the Will to Live
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Bigger Thomas Buddy Thomas Mr. Dalton Mrs. Dalton Mary Dalton Jan Max Buckley Bessie The preacher Deputy coroner
Symbols
All Symbols The Furnace “Black Ape”
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Dialect Dramatic Irony Foreshadowing Genre Imagery Irony Metaphors Mood Motifs Setting Similes Situational Irony Stream of Consciousness Style Tone
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Native Son

by Richard Wright
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Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Book 1
  • Book 2
  • Book 3
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Whiteness, Blackness, and Racism Theme Icon
    Whiteness, Blackness, and Racism
  • Capitalism and Communism Theme Icon
    Capitalism and Communism
  • Crime and Justice Theme Icon
    Crime and Justice
  • Anger and Charity Theme Icon
    Anger and Charity
  • Death, Life’s Purpose, and the Will to Live Theme Icon
    Death, Life’s Purpose, and the Will to Live
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Bigger Thomas
  • Buddy Thomas
  • Mr. Dalton
  • Mrs. Dalton
  • Mary Dalton
  • Jan
  • Max
  • Buckley
  • Bessie
  • The preacher
  • Deputy coroner
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • The Furnace Symbol Icon
    The Furnace
  • “Black Ape” Symbol Icon
    “Black Ape”
Lit Devices
  • All Literary Devices
  • Allusions
  • Dialect
  • Dramatic Irony
  • Foreshadowing
  • Genre
  • Imagery
  • Irony
  • Metaphors
  • Mood
  • Motifs
  • Setting
  • Similes
  • Situational Irony
  • Stream of Consciousness
  • Style
  • Tone
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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Deputy coroner

Native Son Symbols

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The Furnace

The Furnace

One of Bigger’s jobs at the Dalton house is to stoke the furnace that heats the entire property. He is taught to do this by Peggy on his first day of the job. After accidentally… read analysis of The Furnace

The Furnace Symbol Icon

“Black Ape”

Various members of the crowds that gather outside the courtroom, after Bigger’s capture, describe Bigger as a “black ape,” and even newspaper articles circulating in Chicago do the same. This derogatory term has several meanings… read analysis of “Black Ape”

“Black Ape” Symbol Icon
Previous
Deputy coroner
Previous
Deputy coroner
Next
The Furnace
Next
The Furnace

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