Literature-In-English Paper 2 WASSCE (SC), 2016

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.