Mercifully, Richard is never in a position where he has to use this gun—one can only imagine the disastrous consequences of such a choice. In many ways, the character of Bigger in Wright's
Native Son is a version of Wright’s own, younger self, had Wright been forced to make the kind of destructive, difficult choices Bigger makes. Thus Richard understands that he has been lucky—at least, lucky enough to educate himself and to leave the Deep South—even if his young life has been one of intense suffering and privation.