The Dangers of the “Woke, White Leftist” as Seen in Native Son

 In Native Son we are presented with a seemingly new, dangerous form of white person; The “woke” leftist, as seen in the character of Mary Dalton. Mary identifies herself as a communist, cares about social issues, and is interested in improving the lives of black Americans, but fails to include one important thing in her activism; understanding of those who she is trying to help. This shortcoming in her activism is something that many white activists lack, and Native Son warns us of how dangerous this can be. We see each of Mary’s attempts at activism in her interactions with Bigger, as well as how they end up endangering or worsening things for him.

    Mary first meets Bigger in the middle of his job interview with Mr. Dalton, immediately asking him if he belongs to a union, something that was very frowned upon by possible employers back then and could have cost him his job, which Bigger acknowledges, saying “She's making me lose my job! He thought. Goddamn! He knew nothing about unions, except that they were considered bad. And what did she mean by talking to him this way in front of Mr. Dalton, who, surely, didn’t like unions?” (Wright 52). In her pursuit towards bettering working conditions for people like Bigger, Mary fails to recognize the danger that she is putting him in. She is jeopardizing his chance at a job, which could have negative economic repercussions for Bigger and his family. In this scene, the livelihood of Bigger and his family comes at the expense of Mary’s “activism.”

For Mary, being a communist and being perceived as such is not a big deal. Being a communist is just Mary’s rebellion from society as a “woke” individual, but to Bigger, a black man, this label means much more. Mary is a white woman that comes from affluent backgrounds. Communism can be a phase for her, she can move past this stage in her life and continue to prosper. Because of her background, Mary would never have to deal with the economic and social repercussions of being a communist, as her identity as a rich, white woman comes first. However this is different for Bigger, since being labeled as a communist would have major consequences. If associated with communism, Bigger likely wouldn't be able to make enough money to survive, would be subject to widespread hate, and a victim to extreme violence and racism, an experience very common for communists of color at the time. Mary is completely oblivious to the experience of the black communist, and therefore has no understanding of why the label that she wants to place on Bigger may be dangerous. Mary’s activism is self-serving and only builds up her ego, all while possibly destroying Bigger's future. Mary’s selfish pursuit of “wokeness” puts Bigger in danger. Her leftist and communist viewpoint, though not initially negative, is dangerous as soon as it becomes her whole identity. This distinguishing characteristic of many white leftists that Mary exhibits is what Native Son warns us of.

White people are becoming more educated on issues of racism, inequality, and sexism, which is ultimately a good thing. But this newfound social awareness can pose a danger to people of color, especially black people. Being educated on the injustices of society is a positive thing. It is okay to be white and “woke,” but the “wokeness” of the white person becomes dangerous when it becomes their whole identity, and now, in their minds, outweighs the racial privilege that they hold. The activism of the white person turns sour when it becomes self-serving, posing a great danger to black Americans. The “woke,” white leftist is not a thing of the past, or a fictional character like Mary Dalton, but an immediate danger that Richard Wright's Native Son warns us of.