Native Son Quote Significance Pg. 340 -4/14

(1)"a particle of white rock had detached itself from that looming mountain of white hate and had rolled down the slope, stopping still at his feet. The word became flesh. For the first time in his life a white man became a human being to him" (289).

This quote is significant because it is the first time ever that a white man seems human to Bigger. For the entire book so far, the white race has been portrayed as a white force, and now they have switched to the image of an immoveable mountain. The mountain, however, is falling apart in front of Bigger, as in pieces of it are breaking off and he's seeing them for what they are. Also, I think this is a subtle hint on the Author's part with his 'the word became flesh' comment. He's trying to portray Communism(Wright being a communist) as what Jesus would've wanted.

Do you think Communism has been prtrayed this way in the book thus far?

(2)"He had lived and acted on the assumption that he was alone, and now he saw that he had not been. What he had done mades others suffer" (298).

In this quote, Bigger finally realizes that his actions affect others instead of only himself. It's a major turning point in his character, and the quote itself is pretty self-explanatory, simply significant. He had stubbornly thought of himself as alone, as the only true person who could "see", but now he sees it isn't so.

Do you think this will affect how Bigger's goes about his actions in the future.

(3) ""(knowing that it would never be, knowing that his heart did not believe, knowing that when he died, it would be over, forever)" (300).

I think this quote is significant because it seems like Bigger is trying to reassure himself, almost as if someone tried to sway him into actually believing in the action he was about to do. It's like Bigger is about to believe in God, believe in what his mother and the preacher want him to believe in, but then he tells himself not to.

If Bigger is trying to persuade himself not to, what would cause him to start believing in it after he said it was pointless?