Notes of a Native Son

by James Baldwin

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Notes of a Native Son Questions and Answers

Why does Baldwin title the essay what he does?

How does Baldwin structure "Notes of a Native Son"?

What literary techniques does Baldwin use in Notes of a Native Son?

Why was Baldwin’s father bitter?

Compare Baldwin's prose style to that of Martin Luther King Jr. in "Letter from Birmingham Jail." There are certain obvious similarities. What are they, and what are some differences?

What does Baldwin realize hatred can do to him?

Explain the importance of Baldwin’s father’s funeral in helping the son "resolve" the relationship/conflict with his father.

In Notes of a Native Son, how does Baldwin use the story of his father, his life, and his death to examine social and cultural issues in his present-day society?

Who is Louis Armstrong? For Baldwin, what did Louis Armstrong represent?

In “Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin, what passage meant something to you, or resonated for you? Why did it mean something to you?

Was the father schizophrenic?

According to Notes of a Native Son, did Baldwin become like his father?

What conclusion did Baldwin draw about the relationship to his father?

How did Baldwin’s father get along with children?

What events are happening at the same time during the week of July 29, 1943?

In Notes of a Native Son, how does Baldwin use the story of his father, his life, and his death to examine social and cultural issues in his present-day society?

How does James Baldwin develop the theme of the individual in Notes of a Native Son?

How does James Baldwin perceive the “invention” involved in retelling a story in “Notes of a Native Son”?

What is the cage of reality, and in what ways does it apply to Notes of a Native Son or any of Baldwin's works?

Comment on the relationship between Bigger and Mary Dalton in Notes of a Native Son.  

Who was James Baldwin?

In the book "Native Son," is Bigger's lawyer Max Jewish?