Wright#39;s1940originalnovelfollowedapoor\,20-year-oldblackChicagoan\,BiggerThomas\,ashetakesajobasachauffeurforthewealthy\,whiteDaltonfamily.WhenThomasaccidentallymitsanactofviolenceagainstamemberofthefamily\,heengagesinanelaboratecover-upschemethatbegetsmorecrimes.WrightemphasizesthroughoutthenovelthatsocietyhasbeensetuptomakeThomaswhathebees.