Animal Symbolism in Native Son by Richard WrightTwo rats and a cat are used as symbols in Native Son by Richard Wright. The rats, one found in an alley and the other in Bigger's apartment, symbolize Bigger. Mrs. Dalton's white cat represents white society, which often takes the form of a singular character. “Parallels are drawn between these animals and the characters they represent at key moments in the novel” (Kinnamon 118). These parallels help the reader identify with Bigger and understand why he acts the way he does. The animal imagery in Native Son explains some of Bigger's behavior and generates sympathy for Bigger and fear of white people. Bigger's first encounter with a rat foreshadows what will happen to him later in the story and explains his reaction to danger. “The rat automatically becomes a natural enemy and invader as soon as it is discovered in Bigger's apartment? (Hakutani 41). Bigger's family is instantly afraid of the rat and demands its destruction. Buddy blocks the entrance to the rat's house, leaving the rat trapped in the dead-end room. Eventually, the rat becomes frantic and resorts to violence to protect himself from Bigger and Buddy. "The rat squealed, turned and ran in a tight circle, looking for a place to hide; it jumped in front of Bigger again and rushed on its dry, raspy feet to one side of the box, then to the other. 'other, looking for the hole. Then he turned and stood up on his hind legs' (Wright 4). that he jumps on Bigger's pant leg in an attempt to protect himself Bigger, like the rat, finds himself trapped and frantic when he...... middle of paper... ...Jackson: Presses. Mississippi Scholars, 1985. Fishburn, Katherine. Richard Wright's Hero: The Faces of a Rebel Victim Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1977. Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. and K. A. Appiah, eds. reviews past and present New York: Amistd, 1993. Hakutani, Yoshinobu, ed. Critical Essays on Richard Wright. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1982. Joyce, Joyce Ann. The Art of Tragedy by Richard Wright. Iowa City: U of Iowa Press, 1986. Kinnamon, Keneth, ed. New essays on Native Son. New York: Cambridge UP, 1990. Macksey, Richard and Frank E. Moorer, eds. Richard Wright: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984. Rampersad, Arnold, ed. Richard Wright: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. Wright, Richard. Native son. New York: Harper 1989.