num_pages: 504
description: Widely acclaimed as one of the finest books ever written on race and class division in America, this powerful novel reflects the forces of poverty, injustice, and hopelessness that continue to shape our society. Right from the start, Bigger Thomas had been headed for jail. It could have been for assault or petty larceny: by chance, it was for murder and rape. "Native Son" tells the story of this young black man caught in a downward spiral after he kills a young white woman in a brief moment of panic. Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Wright's powerful novel is an unsparing reflection of the poverty and feelings of hopelessness experienced by people in inner cities across the country.
language: English
title: Native Son
titlecomplete: Native Son
characters: Boris Max, Mrs. Thomas, Henry Dalton, Buddy Thomas, Vera Thomas, Bigger Thomas, Mary Dalton, Jan Erlone, Mrs. Dalton
genres: Fiction, African American, Classics, School, Race, Banned Books, American, Historical Fiction, Literature, Novels
ratings_count: 97381
places: Chicago, Illinois, Illinois
awards: name: New York Drama Critics' Circle Award
category: Best American Play
publisher: Harper Perennial