Native Son (1940) by Richard Wright is by far the most engaging and practical novel I have read this semester. The novel does an exceptional job of illustrating the suffering of African Americans in the United States of America. Wright through his brilliant and graphic writing recognizes the racial barriers that impede the progress of blacks. Through his depiction of the novel's protagonist Bigger Thomas, Wright points to the frustration and chaos that could occur due to the isolation and vilification of people of color. He deliberately shows his readers the struggle of the black man and the social oppression he faces in the country that claims to guarantee its citizens: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Bigger, fighting an external and internal battle, experiences the psychological and physical tensions brought by white supremacy. The racial oppression that prevails throughout the text elicits feelings of anger, fear, and emptiness within the black community. Through this literary work, Wright denounces the deplorable living conditions of blacks in the Chicago community, clarifying the poverty, discrimination and inequality to which they are subjected. The novel begins with an alarm clock ringing in a small, dilapidated apartment. The alarm clock rings: "Brrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinng!" (19), waking Bigger and his family. Wright's use of onomatopoeia accentuates the sound of the alarm clock and captures the undivided attention of his readers. The use of the rhetorical tool places emphasis on the disturbing sound of the alarm and is intended to be a wake-up call for the readers. The alarm clock is used by Wright to signal to his audience the strong presence of racism in the United States. He...middle of the paper......tion compared to the boogeyman. The black man is more likely to be stopped by a policeman than the white man. Wright allows his readers to identify such racial discrepancies and question the reason behind them. Although the physical enslavement of Africans is a thing of the past, in the present they are still mentally enslaved. The oppression of blacks by the white man verifies the existence of slavery. Bob Marley in his song “Redemption Song” sings: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; no one but ourselves can free our mind.” In these lyrics the legendary Bob Marley calls on his people to eliminate the psychological hold that white supremacy has on them. Marley believes that blacks have the mental capacity to achieve liberation. Unfortunately, Bigger Thomas and many others like him are unable to gain release before it is too late.