1. Book 3—Fate P274, 1st 5 liens—BT comes to terms w/ fate
Diction—‘thrown’ suggests he had no control
Also suggests that murder was the only force in life that ever defined his life w/ meaning
274, 2nd full para—his existence was always one of alienation
“…no merging w/ some other part of the natural world…”

2. 279-81—Language in Newspaper article
Wright created this ‘article’ from pieces published in Chicago
He wasn’t simply trying to be outrageous
Language like this was used to describe black criminals
Notice attitude of white America towards blacks

3. 285—How is Reverend Hammond characterized??
A stooge, a sincere man???
P287, below middle—Jan expresses understanding of BT
This suggests that even though naïve, Jan is also rational and enlightened
He is able to separate his emotions from his intellect

4. P289, last 6 lines of 1st para—Does this suggest BT achieve redemption???
294, last 8 lines—Max discusses idea that circumstances influenced BT’s behavior

5. 325-28--Dalton’s Testimony
In this section we see Dalton’s behavior represents the white power structure
It also represents his complicity in the circumstances that influenced BT’s behavior that led to the death of Mary
Thus far, we might consider Dalton as a noble character
NAASP donations, $5 weekly bonus, paid for education of previous chauffeur, etc

6. 326—here he evades landlord responsibilities
Blames external forces like supply and demand for rent gouging
Why doesn’t he rent apartments to blacks outside of the black neighborhood???
327—“Old custom”—evades complicity

7. But he never realizes this
327—Dalton is responsible for BT living in a one room apartment b/c he controls where people can live
But he never realizes this
328, “Do you think that the terrible conditions…”
What is the answer to that question???

8. 331—the value of Mary’s death vs. that of Bessie
How are the two deaths treated differently???

9. 350-57—Nature of the racial divide
350, middle, “Mr. Max, we’re all split up.”
The barrier
351, “Yeah, Bigger said…” para
“…you whipped before you born….”
Suggests how circumstances conditioned him
“They don’t care if you die.”
Suggests social indifference and explains the hostility BT feels

10. 353, first full 2 para. Bottom of page
Here BT articulates his crippling frustration w/ how he is treated
Bottom of page
He articulates the control the white world has on him

11. 354, below middle, “‘I don’t know.’”
BT tells what he got out of killing two women
356-57—BT wrests control away from the whites
He took a chance and lost
There are others like BT in the world

12. 382-405—Max’s closing arguments
384, lines 6-7—BT is in the hands of a hostile race, not a jury of his peers
386—far worse than BT have gone free, but outrage over his crime demand quick execution for the safety of society
393-96—notice the difference b/w Leopold and Loeb and BT:
no premeditation

13. Max’s argument is identical to Clarence Darrow’s for Leopold and Loeb:
397-98—Social custom segregates the races in the courtroom, not instructions
What does Max’s suggest the impact of this is over 12 million black people???
Max’s argument is identical to Clarence Darrow’s for Leopold and Loeb:
The actions of both were conditioned
But whites won’t by this on the part of a black man

14. 407-15—Closing arguments from prosecution
Identify all non-flattering and incendiary diction that describes BT
Wright also took this language from court records of the time.
2nd full para on 412 is particularly inflammatory

15. 422, last para, “He had lived outside…”
Born alienated, lived alienated, and will die alienated

16. 424-30—Redemption???
425, “I ain’t trying to dodge…” and following 5 lines
428, last para-top of 429
Is he redeeming himself here???
429, What I killed for must have been good…”
What kind of redemption is this

17. Is he at peace w/ reality of his actions and sentence or is he redeemed???
Redemption
deliverance from sin;
Salvation:
atonement for guilt.