Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son" is a very powerful essay where the author progressively outlines, with a few "flashbacks", the influence society and his father's actions had on his own beliefs and morals. His childhood, growth, relationships with white people and tense situations, all made him realize that keeping hatred inside one's self isn't worth it and that it ends up killing you, like it killed his father. Baldwin goes through a maturing process where he realizes everybody should be accepted in any society, despite their race, ethnic group or color. This transition is exposed to readers through the use of three main themes: life, death and prejudice.
Four strong opening events are introduced to readers in the first paragraph: Baldwin's 19th birthday, the death of his father, the birth of his sister, and the fact that race riots are taking place; all happening simultaneously. On the way to his father's funeral, he describes these riots using very vivid imagery: "a wilderness of smashed plate glass" , even though he and his family are not participating in the riots, they are seeing it from the car window and living the experience. .
His father was a preacher who moved from large community churches to gradually smaller churches, as he started to develop an inability to communicate with his family and with others. Baldwin regrets not having chances to talk to his father when alive. He gives readers an example of one of their few conversations where his father asked him if he would rather preach than write. Baldwin replies he would rather write. This answer automatically defined their separation, setting a boundary between them.
Initially, Baldwin cannot understand his father's bitterness and hatred towards white people and life, but as the essay progresses, you can see he no longer judges his father because he starts to understand him. .
He mentions getting fired from his job several times, as word spreads he has been attempting to frequent white bars and places.