Wright, Richard: 1908-1960

Native Son, 1940 - Thematic Parallels: Racism

Racism is the belief that a person’s race or ethnicity determines their abilities, behavior, or worth, often leading to prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism toward people of other races.
Wright, Richard: Native Son, 1940
The novel's topic is systemic racism and social injustice faced by African Americans in the United States, particularly in urban settings like Chicago.
The following books are thematically simliar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Cleave, Chris: The Other Hand, 2008, ~370pp
  This is a novel about immigration, racism, and the effects of violence on individuals and society.
  - Both novels explore how societal structures limit the freedom and agency of Black individuals, showing that social inequality and racial prejudice have profound personal and psychological effects. They emphasize the complexity of human behavior under extreme social pressures.
- Draper, Sharon: Copper Sun, 2006, ~300pp
  This novel deals with the African American experience and the legacy of slavery and racism.
  - Both novels examine how oppressive social structures—slavery in "Copper Sun" and racial segregation in "Native Son"—shape individuals’ lives and limit their agency. They explore the impact of systemic oppression on young African-descended protagonists, focusing on the psychological, social, and moral consequences of racism and injustice.
- Morrison, Toni: The Bluest Eye, 1970, ~170pp
  This novel explores internalized racism and the damaging effects of societal beauty standards on African American identity.
  - Both novels illustrate how racism dehumanizes Black individuals, whether through social oppression (Wright) or internalized self-loathing (Morrison). They center Black protagonists trapped by systemic racism and poverty, explore the psychological and social consequences of oppression, and serve as critiques of American society. Wright focuses more on societal structures and Morrison on internalized oppression.
- Smith, Zadie: On Beauty, 2005, ~440pp
  This work deals with racial and cultural identity.
  - Both novels use class differences to explore social injustice, though in Wright it is more existential and in Smith it is often ironic and relational. They share key thematic concerns: the interplay of race, class, and identity; moral complexity; family as a social lens; and critique of societal structures.
List of general discussion questions on Racism (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Racism (pdf)