Native Son was written in 1940, but the issue of racism in the United States is still a major topic of discussion today. What do you think contemporary readers can learn about racism from reading this novel? In what ways is the novel still relevant? What doesn’t age well?

Research the history of communism and the way it was viewed in the United States during the Great Depression. Knowing that Richard Wright was a communist at the time he wrote the novel, in what ways is Native Son supporting communist ideals?

Read Richard Wright’s essay, “How Bigger Was Born.” How does the essay inform the novel? What does it clarify? What questions do you still have?