Question 5 RICHARD WRIGHT: Native Son
Assess Bigger’s relationship with Ma in the novel.
Observation
Most candidates pointed out the relationship between Bigger and his mother. Some candidates however mistook Ma for Max and so wrote on the relationship between Bigger and Max.
Candidates were expected to discuss:
- The theme of racial segregation.
- The character identification of Ma, as a single parent, and Bigger, her son.
- The relationship between them and Bigger’s attitude towards his mother.
Most candidates gave shallow answers.