Native Son Quote Responses

"For the first time in his life a white man became a human being to him; and the reality of Jan's humanity came in a stab of remorse."

Bigger never felt remorse because he felt that his actions were justified and that the white people were not even human. Seeing Jan's sadness over the death of Mary makes Bigger rething his conception of white people. Bigger begins to feel a sense of remorse because he realizes that his actions were not justified because not all white people are the same; white people are actually individuals.

"A grave wrong has been done to two people who've helped Negeroes more than anybody I know."

This is completely incorrect. Everyone, including black people, think that the Dalton' help black people which is not the place. Later in the reading Mr. Dalton is called out on this by Max. Max says that donating money and ping pong tables are not going to help the situation on a large scale, which is very true. Mr. Dalton is looked at as a saint when he is one of the biggest contributors to black oppression.

"What he had done had made others suffer."

Bigger is beginning to let down his tough guy persona and he is realizing that life is not all about himself. He now knows that his mother will probably suffer more than he has becuase of the toll that Bigger has taken on her life. The whole black community will suffer because of the assumptions that will now be made. Bigger made life for black people harder than it already was.