Chapter1. -Good Morning Chicago(pgs. 1-12)
ends at: " slammed the door"

The family woke up to an alarm clock ring, and a rat in the apartment room. Ms. Thomas and Vera were horrified, so they sent Bigger to kill the rat. After he killed it, Bigger scared Vera with the rat to the point where she fainted. Then he disposed of the rat. When he came back in, his mother turns all her attentiin to Bigger and hounds him about taking the job with Mr. Dalton. He became angry and him and his mother got into an argument. After Bigger became fed up and left, leaving the door to the apartment behind him to slam shut.

Analysis:
I think that the alarm ring was a symbol of them to wake up to society, and realize that they are going no where living like this. The rat was in a way like Bigger, afraid of one another, but willing to kill to show the strong edifice that they want to put up to the rest of the world. Bigger is afraid to talk about his family's problems because he knows that they depend on him to take care of them. When Bigger slammed the door think that was again him trying to show his power, but it was really him blocking his problems that would soon come to haunt him!