Native Son by Richard Wright is a powerful novel about the racial disparities in urban culture in early 20th century America. This novel depicts a young man who lives in inner-city Chicago and runs into deep trouble while trying to do the right thing. The opening scene of the first book begins with a ringing alarm clock and proceeds to foreshadow the book with alarming subtlety and depth. The alarm itself wakes the reader up to the idea that the book will be fast-paced and the first scene will make the reader dive right in.
The first sign of foreshadowing is Bigger and Buddy turning their heads so that Vera and Ma can dress. It is a sign of dignity, a feeling that many characters strive to acquire in the rest of the book. The desire for dignity is what motivates Bigger to run from the police. He doesn't want to get caught right away by the police, so he flees, both shredding his dignity for the future and preserving it in the short term. The other important factor that dignity plays in the novel is the separation between the races. Bigger seems to feel that this separation ruins his dignity by forcing him below the "white world."
The other feeling that motivates Bigger throughout the novel is fear. This is very visible in the first scene when the rat is running around the room and Bigger has to kill it. He then holds up the rat playfully, causing his sister to faint. Bigger is highly motivated by fear. He knows that if he is found in Mary's bedroom he will be severely punished, so for fear of being caught, he silences her with a pillow. Bigger is also motivated by fear when he kills Bessie. He knows he can't take her because she will slow him down, but he also knows that if the police find her, he won't be safe. So, out of fear of being caught again, he kills Bessie.
The foreshadowing in the first scene sets up the rest of the book, but you don't realize it at first. You only realize after you go back and re-read it. The only thing that is easy to identify from the first scene is a sense of inevitable doom.
Thanks for reading!
Maggie
