<P> The book also received criticism from some of Wright's fellow African - American writers . James Baldwin's 1948 essay Everybody's Protest Novel dismissed Native Son as protest fiction and so limited in its understanding of human character and its artistic value . The essay was collected with nine others in Baldwin's Notes of a Native Son (1955). </P> <P> In 1991, Native Son was for the first time published in its entirety by the Library of America, together with an introduction, a chronology, and notes by Arnold Rampersad, a well - regarded scholar of African American literary works . This edition also contains Richard Wright's 1940 essay "How' Bigger' Was Born". The original edition had a masturbation scene removed at the request of the Book - of - the - Month club . </P> <P> The novel has endured a series of challenges in public high schools and libraries all over the United States . Many of these challenges focus on the book's being "sexually graphic", "unnecessarily violent", and "profane ." Despite complaints from parents, many schools have successfully fought to keep Wright's work in the classroom . Some teachers believe the themes in Native Son and other challenged books "foster dialogue and discussion in the classroom" and "guide students into the reality of the complex adult and social world". Native Son is number 27 on Radcliffe's Rival 100 Best Novels List . </P> <P> The book is number 71 on the American Library Association's list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990 - 2000 . The Modern Library placed it number 20 on its list of the 100 best novels of the 20th Century . Time Magazine also included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English - language Novels from 1923 to 2005 . </P>

Summary and analysis of native son by richard wright