Question 5
RICHARD WRIGHT: Native Son
Consider the view that it is the society that makes Bigger a murderer in the novel.
Observation
Many candidates attempted this question. A good number of the candidates were able to bring out instances in the novel of how society makes Bigger a murderer.
The following points were expected to be well developed by the candidates:
• Bigger lives in one of the many slum apartments in the predominantly black South Side of Chicago.
• Bigger's life is defined by fear and anger that he feels towards the white. He is ashamed of his family's poverty and scared of whites who control his life.
• Bigger is subjected to a racist culture- whites are shown to be sophisticated, while black are subservient.
• Segregation, discrimination, deprivation, fear and Bigger's inherent tendencies push him into violent crimes and murder.
Candidates' performance in this question was good.