Speeches #5

After the invisible man's insight into the actuality of society, under the guise of "Rinehart," his conversation with Brother Hambro presents a stark contrast in the quondam perspective of the Brotherhoods ideals. When prompted with question of escalating violence in the narrator's district, it is divulged that they will be "sacrificed" for the "larger plan" (pg.501).However, this is something the invisible man deems impermissible; contemplating if they have been "duped by the Brotherhood as by Rinehart" (pg.502). This illustrates the "gulf" that "Rinehart had opened... between them" (pg. 501). The ability to transition between the different perspectives of society broached an issue for the invisible man; Scientific and manipulative steering of the Brotherhood binds those who form "society." It is believed "impossible" not to take advantage of them in their own "best interest" (pg. 504). This establishes the group as a force that seeks to generate destruction, and prolong an endless cycle with their " new society," or rebirth (pg. 502).

Allusions week 5- Tripp Hemker

     In the last section of the book, the invisible man again encounters ras, but this time he is calling himself "ras the destroyer".  Ras is both a visionary and a prophet in the novel, and has a view based around self reliance, much like that of Ralph Waldo Emerson.  In this section, he serves as a guide to the invisible man, and a spark for the riots and chaos in Harlem.  While Ras is very similar to several black nationalists like Marcus Garvey, in this section, Ras is a direct allusion to Shiva, the destroyer and judge.  Ras has gone mad, much like with the untamed passion of Shiva and plans to get rid of the invisible man, and to destroy the brotherhood, both of which he despises and opposes the views of.  In this aspect, Ras has started the violence that is to build and destroy all.  Like with Shiva, this not all in vain.  All of this violence will lead to reconstruction and rebirth.  The tenants of the burned building will find a new, safer home to live in, the brotherhood will likely rebuilt, and most importantly, the Invisible man will grow from his escape and increase his level of understanding how and why everything works and exists as it does.  While Ras does not necessarily cause all of the violence, he is responsible for the violence as well as the chance that some have to revolt, find new homes, and get a new view on life.

Allusions Week 5

During the later parts of the novel, the narrator encounters Sybil, the wife of an abusive member of the Brotherhood. The narrator wishes to acquire information about the brotherhood's dealings and, after originally targeting another woman, he settled on Sybil because he felt that she would be more likely to give in to him given her family life. Her name itself is an allusion to the greek oracle Sibyl who, not unlike the character in The Invisible Man and her relations with the narrator, is used for her ability to provide information. In the story, the narrator attempts to use Sybil to get information about the future plans of the brotherhood, just as many did with Sibyl. Ellison uses this allusion to assert the Sybil's purpose in the novel and to provide insight into the position equivalent to the greek hero that the narrator fills.

Power Week 5

During the race riot that occurs on the streets of Harlem, the Invisible Man once again crosses paths with Ras. The Invisible Man finds him on a huge horse, dressed in robes, and carrying a shield and spear. He and his crowd of followers label the Invisible Man a bretrayer and threaten to hang him. During this moment the Invisible Man is reflective and contemplates the power struggle that is evident throughout the novel. He rejects the pursuit of power by saying, " ...knowing too that I had no longer to run for or from the Jacks and the Emersons and the Bledsoes and Nortons...(559)" The reader may observe that the Invisible Man has achieved enlightenment and rejects the "running" that he feels he has been doing his entire life. He says he will only now run from the "powerful" men's "confusion, impatience, and refusal to recognize the beautiful absurdity of their American identity and mine". He can now see past the facade presented by the Brotherhood and others to see that being an individual and finding yourself is more important than the power and being in "history". Through this realization, the Invisible Man has come full circle as a character because he finally broke away from the curse that his grandfather set in the beginning by recognizing how destructive sub-coming to power (saying yes) can be for the sake of gaining personal power. The state of Harlem made that evident because of the apocalyptic hell-like atmosphere created during the race riot. From the Dante's Inferno perspective, the Invisible Man reached the final circle of hell and faced all of the devils and traitors like the men he listed above. From that experience, his enlightenment and acceptance of being an "invisible man" occurs.

dreams (week 5)

The narrator has just discovered that Brother Jack had written the anonymous threatening letter to him. That night, he has a dream in which he is by a river and he is surrounded by Brother Jack, Emerson, Bledsoe, Norton, and Ras. Every character that has produced an obstacle for him, or an illusion to his seemingly stable reality. They each handed him a new mask and even with that he was still invisible to them. In this dream, the men are mocking the invisible man and are telling him they can relieve him of his "illusions." They end up plucking out his eyes, which is a reference to Oedipus who was a Greek King of Thebes who struggled with his identity and ended up plucking his own eyes out. They ask the invisible man how it feels to be "free" of these illusions, and he responds by telling them they are nothing in the midst of the universe. They will not leave their mark or be remembered by their continuous cycle of a false reality and facade veiling them behind their insecurities and selfishness. The river in itself is symbolic in relevance to the river of Styx near the gates of hell. The invisible man ends the dream by laughing at the men, and being lifted out of his misery (a metaphorical rebirth) in which the men are shouting that they must get him back down under their control. This dream symbolizes his release of ignorance and his new found principle of self awareness. He finally is able to look his grandfather's prophecy in the eyes and laugh due to it's absurdity and how easily you can get caught up on the never ending track (running) of life. He truly sees without seeing. He had to look with his own mind in order to unveil the truth of life: you are the only voice you should have, the only heart and mind you should follow, and the only reliance you will ever need. We are invisible as people because we choose to not stand out in order to avoid being outcast-ed or rejected by the very same people that share the same feelings towards us.

Blindness 5

At the end of the novel, the Invisible Man finally becomes "free of illusions," because for the first time he see himself for who he is, and not who others expect him to be (579). He claims that he is “invisible, not blind,” because he understands how absurd society is and removes himself from it so that it cannot cloud his judgment (586). The Invisible Man also recalls an encounter with Mr. Norton at the subway station. He explains how Mr. Norton acted as though he had never met him before, which emphasizes Mr. Norton’s, along with other members of society's, blindness and absurdity. The fact that Mr. Norton claims that the IM was “his destiny” and does not even recognize him proves that he never saw the IM as an individual, but as another black man who would aid him in attaining a charitable image. After this occurrence, the narrator is even further reminded that he is no longer blinded by his ignorance.

Final Black vs White

A riot that was supposed to be the start of a new age was in fact something completely different it was an “uproar”, becoming “a crash of men against men”, that would lead to nothing “but murder”. With even its beginning uncertain whether it was because of a “candy bar” or a “black gal’s man” there was one thing everyone thought for sure “it was a white gal, all right” or in other words caused by temptation.  The people didn’t have to know the cause to begin fighting because they acted before thinking, society did not think as individuals but as one. With “a tipsy fat lady” leading “a circus parade” bodies hung from lampposts. There were “seven” “white, naked, and horribly feminine” but they are “unreal” only “mannequins”. But all of this, “the absurdity of the whole night” reveals the absurdity in society. The riot itself points out how absurd society actually is in turning the races against each other. The hanging of the mannequins is used as an example of the sin. This type of hatred found in the hanging of the mannequins causes “blood to spill” and is not coming towards a time where both races can live in peace. The invisible man realizes in this situation that he cannot change society because his society is made up of blind men “controlled solely by white men” who were “as blind”.

Black v. White (5)

     In Chapter 25, a race riot ignites as Ras the Destroyer begins his march for black supremacy. The narrator attempts to run away from the dangers of the fight but stops to see, “[a] body hung, white, naked, and horribly feminine from a lamppost” (556). The narrator approaches seven mannequins being lynched and primarily is afraid of the possibility that they are real people, specifically Sybil. The number seven is significant because in literature, it can allude to the seven deadly sins (the most important being treachery to oneself and abandoning one's integrity), as well as the completion of a cycle and positive renewal. The seven white mannequins represent the treachery the Invisible Man has committed against his own identity and the point of realization at which he is able to see who he really is, as well as the final destruction of his wish to blend the blacks and whites in society. 

     The mannequins represent the different roles the narrator tried to take on to assimilate with society. Each and every one of those roles are "lynched" because they do not accurately represent the identity of the narrator; they are fake and hollow, just like the many outer shells that the narrator adopted in order to achieve his dream of associating with the powerful figures in the white community. The narrator tries to explain to the people in the riot that Ras is betraying them by causing them to fight against each other. Ras then tells the people, “Ignore his lying tongue…Hang him up to teach the black people a lesson, and theer be no traitors…Hang him up there with them blahsted dummies” (Ellison 557). Ras tells the mob to hang the narrator with the mannequins, which highlights his failed attempt to satisfy his desire to associate peacefully with white people. The Invisible Man can be compared to the mannequins because by hanging on the streets of Harlem, his dream of ever assimilating into a normal integrated society is lost. 

Music

As we near the end of the book we see a the invisible man come to a lot of realizations.  But before the harlem riot and before the invisible man finds himself underground we see the invisible man at a bar.  We see a very important music quote in this scene, "Yet another juke box is seen at a party. Near the bar in a bar, a juke box is dinning in a smokey-green haze. Metaphorically, the juke box looked as though it was in a murky cave. The juke box was lit up at the time and was shouting a song, Jelly, Jelly, Jelly, all night long, the song danced through the air and into ears (p 486)." Its been apparent now that the narrator is even aware of the amount of music he comes into contact with that has certain meanings. The Jelly, in my opinion, is representative of the blues.  The blues were very popular in this time and also very ironic in this scene.  At this point in the narrators life the blues music is the perfect way to describe it.  This song has a direct relationship with blues singer, Jelly Roll Mortin who definitely had a big impact on black culture.  

Nate Schmal 

Black v. White 5

The invisible man reaches a point of coming full circle with his journey in the epilogue of the novel. Throughout the book he has struggled with different perceptions and interpretations of black and white as his wisdom and knowledge progressed, culminating into a few final phrases. He states, "Where all this passion toward conformity anyway? ... Why, if they follow this conformity business they'll end up by forcing me, an invisible man, to become white, which is not a color but the lack of one. Must I strive toward colorlessness?"(577) In this he is not negating the color white of being true nor is he negating white people of being themselves, rather, he states that white ceases to become a color when someone who is not white longs after its characteristics. Both black and white can only be owned and represented in their true forms. He denounces striving towards colorlessness because he now recognizes the essence of his invisibility is rooted in his full acceptance of who he is, including all of the heritage associated with him being black. He also says, "Thus one of the greatest jokes in the world is the spectacle of the whites busy escaping blackness and becoming blacker every day, and the blacks striving towards whiteness, becoming quite dull and gray. None of us seems to know who he is or where he's going."(577) He plays on the dull meanings of the colors here in order to emphasize his realization that in order for harmony to exist in human, not even exist but have just a chance of existing, people must accept one another's versions of invisibility. This in turn is also rooted in their acceptance of themselves. When whites try to escape the idea of blackness and refuse the existence of this difference, as in what the brotherhood originally claimed to be for, then their virtue grows darker, or blacker, with each refusal. When blacks try to refute the skin they were born into in order to praise the so-called superiority of the whites then they are not truly embracing their blackness as a blessing of uniqueness, making it lose its individuality for that person and its ability to connect said person to the larger community who shares that such trait. This dulls out the purity of the color in their persona. The invisible man directly relates the concept of color with identity in the novel but is able to conclude that it is not a mark of conformity to a predetermined prejudice, but rather a characteristic of individual experience that allows a person to continue on with their journey once he/she accepts theirs and all others as being such.

Symbolism: Week 5

Upon departing the bus at Harlem, the invisible man finds himself under a bridge. Suddenly, he hears a sound and his mind quickly portrays “an image of wings, as something struck my face and streaked” (533). He then realizes that bird droppings have now fallen upon him, and he notices the grotesque composts “splattering around, falling like rain” (534). This absurd scene relates back to the invisible man’s vivid description of the Founder statue at the college in chapter two, where he witnesses a bird soil the compelling statue. However, he finds it ironic that the statue seems even more beautiful than before, stating “Why is a bird-soiled statue more commanding than one that is clean” (36). This parallel between the invisible man and the Founder statue’s encounters with birds symbolizes black oppression. The once uncontaminated character and statue are left with a white stain on their blackness, showing that they suffer the same fate that their forefathers also endured. Realizing the irony of his circumstance, he runs “blindly, boiling with outrage and despair and harsh laughter” (534). The invisible man reacts in this outlandish way as a result of becoming aware of the fact that he, like the Founder, has been used as a propaganda tool to deceive others into blind loyalty to an ideology. The Founder is exploited by Dr. Bledsoe, while the Brotherhood carries out this same act on the invisible man, by treating the two as abstract symbols representing blacks instead of valuing them as individuals.

Power- Week 5

After the Invisible Man visited Hambro for advice, he left in a “worse state than that in which [he’d] come.” He finally realized the full extent of the Brotherhood’s insanity. Once again, he was left feeling betrayed as if he were a fool. He thought that the Brotherhood was the exception to society, and that “they felt that color made no difference.” But really, they were just concerned with themselves and the power that they could get their hands on. The Invisible man now sees Jack, Norton, and Emerson “merge into one single white figure...each attempting to force his picture of reality upon [him] and neither giving a hoot in hell for how things looked to [him].” Each of them were hungry for power and were willing to screw over anyone who got in their ways. Unfortunately, the Invisible Man was collateral damage- partly because he was invisible and none of them actually saw his worth. To them the Invisible Man “was simply a material, a natural resource to be used.” They are blinded by their ambition and do not see the absurdity of their actions. In reality, the Brotherhood is no better than Bledsoe or Norton or Emerson because they all were out for one thing- power. But through all of these failed experiences, the Invisible Man discovers that his invisibility can be used to his advantage, and it can become his greatest power.

Music Week 5

When the Invisible Man went to the bar after purchasing his new disguise, everything that he could see was in a new green tint giving the appearance of rebirth for his character. One thing that appeared in that new green tint for the Invisible Man was the juke box sitting in the “smoke-green haze” in the depths of the “murky cave”(486). The Invisible Man then noticed that the juke box was “lit up like a bad dream of the Fiery Furnace, shouting:

Jelly, Jelly

Jelly,

All Night Long” (486)

This is an allusion to the biblical story of Shadrach, Meshach,and Abednego (Daniel 3). Through the use of this reference to the juke box and music, Ellison creates a situation in which the fiery furnace a punishment that comes back to hurt those that attempt to hurt the victim instead of the victim himself. This can be seen as foreshadowing for the “punishment” that the brotherhood is going to receive after betraying the Invisible Man. It could also foreshadow the punishment that Ras the Destroyer is going to receive similarly to the brotherhood for his attempt at hurting and bringing down the Invisible Man.

Violence Week 5

After chaos devours the town of Harlem, Ras and his followers march in, “Moving in a tight-knit order, carrying sticks and clubs, shotguns and rifles” (556). Amongst the mayhem, the invisible man begs for his life, explaining his belief to the belligerent mob that the Brotherhood “Wants the streets to flow with blood; your blood, black blood and white blood” (558). The invisible man reaches realization that the Brotherhood does not truly attempt to fix the problem of racism. Contrastingly, they strive to evoke violence within the city merely so they can continue to portray themselves as valiant and heroic to the distressed and frenzied citizens of Harlem. The Brotherhood induces aggression and disorder so that they can “Turn your death and sorrow and defeat into propaganda” (558). The Brotherhood thrives off of chaos to keep their artificial goals and corrupt ideologies alive. The IM becomes aware that the Brotherhood had plotted all along to turn everyone against each other, and Ellison uses this aggression to reveal the underlying truth that the Brotherhood is phony and simulated. Ellison illustrates violence throughout his novel to expose different characters fighting for their individual, unique beliefs. The violence these characters employ portrays the chaotic mindset and disarrayed goals of all the characters in the novel as a whole.

Symbolism Week 5

The invisible man’s briefcase is an object the narrator has with him in the beginning, throughout, and even at the end of the novel. He receives the “gleaming calfskin briefcase” (32), after making a speech at the Battle Royal and is told to “keep developing as you are and someday it will be filled with important papers that will help shape the destiny of your people” (32). So, this is exactly what the invisible man intends to do, following the instruction of others. The narrator has been going on a constant journey that has shaped him into the person he is, and pieces of his journey have in fact been placed in the briefcase. The invisible man’s high school diploma, the anonymous letters, the piece of paper with his “new” name, and even the coin bank pieces are thrown into it. When the riot breaks out and the fire scene starts to ignite towards the end, it is clear that the invisible man accidently left the briefcase in the building, but turns around to retrieve it seeing “he almost lost something that had been precious to him” (537). It is not until the end do we see the true significance the briefcase brings to the invisible man. As he is running and falls into the underground hole, he becomes trapped in the dark and realizes he needs a source of light. His conclusion to resolve this problem involves matches he already has, along with pieces of paper. He then continues to open his briefcase since “it was the only papers he had” (567). The invisible man has now “burned every paper in the briefcase” (568), and every item he had been carrying with him all along. The items he had in there had represented him being blind and completely manipulated by others. All of those significant items represented what others wanted him to be, and tried to change his identity. Now that they have completely vanished, he can be done with the past and move on with his new lifestyle by having awareness of who he truly is.

Symbolism Week 5

Gaining more followers than ever before, Ras the Exhorter begins to rise to power, and he orders two of his followers to attack the Invisible Man on the street where he is almost beaten to death; however, the attackers are stopped by a door man. After this happens, the Invisible Man decides to wear a disguise ,so he buys a pair of sunglasses: "seized the darkest lenses I could find. They were of a green glass so dark that is appeared black"(482) and a hat: "I went in and bought the widest hat in stock and put it on"(482). When the Invisible Man puts on this disguise, he is mistaken for a man named Rinehart who has many different identities: "Rine the runner and Rine the gambler and Rine the briber and Rine the lover and Rinehart the Reverend"(498). The Invisible Man realizes when Rinehart pretends to be different people, he has the freedom to do what he pleases, and no one sees through his façade. Therefore, these objects symbolize freedom and for the first time, the Invisible Man can go unrecognized by his enemies. These objects enable the Invisible Man to have a true identity, rather than those given to him by other people. Finally, he vows to be visible to himself, even though he is invisible to everyone else. This revelation will allow him to define himself and create his own reality.

 

Blindness: Week 5

The Invisible Man finds himself trapped in a manhole after the exposure of the Brotherhood's ultimate plan and Ras's riots. Preceding these tumultous events he has just had a discussion with Brother Hambro that brought The Brotherhood's deception to light and sparked the notion of doubt inside the Invisible Man that prompts him to do the reevaluating he does in the manhole.  Instead of doing all he can to escape he decides to stay and reflect on his life and the events that have transpired. He is plunged into a physical blindness which enables him to realize he has been living his entire life in a metaphorical blindness. We can allude and compare this to that of the Greek mythology character Oedipus whose blinding serves to provide him with the truth that he lacked when he was exposed to physical light and the distractions that came with it. When the hole is covered and all visible light is removed he remarks, "This is the way it's always been, only know I know it,"(566).This only reinforces the idea that the Invisible Man has now fully awakened to the fact that he has been living his life as a blind and invisible shadowy figure, only seen to be used for the benefit of others. This period of time spent in the manhole is absolutely essential for the Invisible Man's growth and 'rebirth' and to have the veil finally lifted from his eyes. Every time he is above ground there is always a person, idea, or group of people taking advantage of him or anchoring him to themselves. In the beginning it was the wealthy and powerful white men in his community, next it was the college and Dr.Bledsoe, then it was Dr.Bledsoe’s letters, Mary, The Brotherhood, and countless others who never allowed to Invisible Man to live his life for himself. While he is removed from society the Invisible Man is finally able to come to terms and be virtually enlightened. It is in the hole that he eradicates any evidence of his old life, a life with clouded eyesight. It's the burning of these artifacts that provide him light, both in a physical and symbolic sense. After he has transcended and found the truth he states that he, “The hibernation is over. I must shake off the old skin.”(580) He is able to now go through life with clear eyes and notes that he can no longer spend it underground, he has a ‘social responsibility’. He must carry out his Grandfather’s dying wish and participate as an active, but free-thinking- member of society, working aggressively to progress the natural ideologies of his own people.
 

Light Week 5

Towards the end of Chapter 24 in Invisible Man, the narrator is going to Harlem after he got a call from the Brotherhood implying that there was an emergency in Harlem. He calls a cab for Sybil, then starts running there. On the way, he describes the setting as if he were going into the depths of hell (Dante’s Inferno) and while he is running, he gets covered in bird droppings. One of the descriptions in particular that he uses to describe the setting kind of foreshadows what is going to happen in the next chapters: “Far ahead in the dark I saw the monumental bridge, ropes of lights across the dark river; and closer, high above the shoreline, the Palisades, their revolutionary agony lost in the riotous lights of roller coasters. “The Time is Now …” the sign across the river began…” (533). The dark river symbolizes that he is close to hell (Harlem/race riot) and bridge shows the connection between hell and the place that he is staying at. The ropes of light may mean that he is about to find out that the Brotherhood started the race riot on purpose and also discover the true meaning behind humanity, his life, and the grandfather’s curse (epilogue). The fact that Ellison uses “ropes of light” instead of any other description of light shows the connection that the Invisible Man has to his past and him discovering the truth, with the race riot/ dark river being the journey/ transition in between the two. “Ropes of light” also shows the continuum of knowledge that the Invisible Man is gaining/ has gained, and how the events in his past/ throughout his life changed the way he thinks and how these events help him find the truth. The sign that says “The Time is Now” also implies the idea that now is the time that the Invisible Man truly finds the truth and finally discovers the meaning behind the grandfather’s curse (partially) and humanity.

speeches #5

Towards the end of the novel, the narrator made his way through the streets and continuously came across the mentioning of Clifton's death. People were "shouting a sermon about the slaughter of the innocents" (479) and they were holding "heated arguments" (479). As he journeyed towards Brother Hambro's house the narrator wound up at one of Ras the Exorter's speeches. Ras was very condescending and aggressive towards the narrator. Ras questioned "what are you doing about our black youth shot down beca'se of your deceitful organization?" (480) He extended by asking "are they afraid" and if the Brotherhood "sticking together to betray us?" (480) The narrator boldly responded by addressing their dishonor by using the death of Clifton to irrupt the Brotherhood that "has worked to bring an end to such outrages" (480). The narrator explains how the Brotherhood "shall always act" but "in their own disciplined way" and "positively" (480). The narrator's audacious response to Ras shows his loyalty towards Clifton and the Brotherhood. He knows that Ras is a major threat and holds a great deal of power, but the narrator knows how important it is to protect and stand up for the black society. He acknowledges his "personal responsibility" (463) and believes in "progress and action" (576). The narrator constantly puts himself out there and is always loyal to his companions no matter who he is against in the battle, race, or war.

Blindness week 5

At this point in the novel, the Invisible Man finally begins to see the truth that the brotherhood was just using him to get what they wanted. He realizes that the race riot that is occurring was set up by the brotherhood as the "sacrifice" that would get them into history, by having many people die through a racial conflict, they would emerge as the leaders and "truth" givers. While the Invisible Man tries to go and confront Jack about his epiphany, he falls down a man hole. At the bottom, it is pitch black and he can't see anything, making him blind. AS he was "whirling on in the blackness", he falls and finds himself in a dark room (568). Too tired to get up, he falls asleep. While sleeping, he dreamt that he was somewhere in the desert surrounded by "Jack and old Emerson and Bledsoe and Norton and Ras" and all the people who had kept him running and kept him blind (569). During the dream, he finally confronts them and states that he is "through with all [their] illusions and lies, [he's] through running" (569). He finally realizes what his grandfather meant when he said to "keep him running". All the people in his dream had kept him from realizing the truth of the world and made him constantly "run" towards the truth that they wanted him to see. They never lead him to the actual truth, causing him to run in circles around the lies of each person and to constantly run as he would never reach the truth this way. Later in the dream, the men around him cut out his eyes and "cast them over the bridge" as Jack states "Now you're free of illusions" (569). The Invisible Man sees now that all the people around him ever tried to do was cut out his eyes and blind him. They believed by blinding him to the truth, and figuratively removing his eyes, that they could mold him into whatever they needed to accomplish their own selfish goals. By doing this, however, they really make him see the truth of what they are doing and finally make him truly accept that he is invisible. He can finally "see that which I couldn't see" (570). Without his eyes, he can now move toward the truth as no illusions or lies can distract him. The Brotherhood's lies cannot reach him now and he is done running at last. Without his eyes, he can see his "generations wasting upon the water" and how by following the Brotherhood, his people will never find equality and his whole race will be kept running. Now that he is blind and invisible, he can transcend the lies and illusions and finally be able to live his life in truth and lead others to that truth as well.

Journey Week 5

On his quest for his identity, the Invisible Man is taught more about himself throughout his journey. After escaping from "Ras the Destroyer's" followers the narrator obtains sunglasses in order to disguise himself from them. But, while making his way back to the meeting, others along the way keep referring to him as "Rinehart". One woman thinks he is Rinehart her bookie, the other thinks he is her pimp, and the last believes he is her reverend. The narrator is astounded that one could have so many different identities and he ponders, "Could he be all of them:Rine the runner and Rine the fambler and Rine the briber and Rine the lover and Rinehart the Reverend?" (498). Learning about Rinehart puzzles the narrator and the reader wonders if he can take on such contradictory personas. But, this epiphany opens up a door of understanding on the narrator's journey of understanding that one's identity is extremely complex, including his own.

Journey Week 5

In this final section, I think the Invisible Man is finally comfortable with himself and who he is. Even if it wasn't comfort that described his feelings, he had accepted who he was. In Chapter 23, the IM states, "They were me; they defined me. I was my experiences and my experiences were me, and no blind men, no matter how powerful they became, even if they conquered the world, could take that, or change one single itch, taunt, laugh, cry, scar, ache, rage, or pain of it. They were blind, bat blind, moving only by the echoed sounds of their own voices..... Here I thought they accepted me." (508) This is significant to the Invisible Man's journey because he realizes his importance in this world and that his life depends on himself and not anyone else. This is a huge step for him because it is here that he begins to believe his grandfather and take risks in his life and "he was ready to test his advice" (508). He then wishes that he came to this epiphany sooner "why hadn't I discovered it sooner?" (509). I think this is one of the most significant parts in the book because the IM would not have discovered these things if he had not experienced all the things in his lifetime from the college, Dr. Bledsoe, etc. It it important that he has come to this early in his life to because he can now make his future brighter and learn from his mistakes/experiences.

Sex Week 5

After realizing Emma would not expose Jack's plans, "I sensed that while she might willingly surrender herself (in order to satisfy herself) she was far too sophistocated and skilled in intrigue to compromise her position as Jack's mistress by revealing anything important to me", he moved on to another woman named Sybil. (515)Ellison portray's the invisible man's decision to exploit and take advantage of these women for his own personal gain as a downfall in his character. Although he mainly wishes for insight into the Brotherhood, if a sexual tempation takes place, he will cave in. Though he was "thrown together at the bar" with Sybil, the invisible man views her as one of the unhappy "big shots' wives [which] made her a perfect choice". (515-516)He decides to intoxicate her to receive his desired information, however, as her drunkeness progresses, she becomes more inclined to a sexual act with the invisible man. Her request of him is to "rape" her, a wild fantasy she has dreamt of since childhood in which she justifies due to being a "nymphomaniac". (518-519) Due to her desires, he begins to consider himself as "a domesticated rapist... house-broken and with a convenient verbal push-button for the ladies' pleasure." (521)Ellison's purpose in the invisible man's realization of his relationships with women further characterizes him as a complying and rule following individual, as he was at school and in the Brotherhood. However, the irony lies within his greed and yearning to aqcuire unknown information even if his words and actions are immoral, such as when tells Sybil, "I rapes real good when I'm drunk". (521) The invisible man has shifted from making decisions that are for the greater good of the Brotherhood and community to acting and speaking for his own personal gain. This scene is the beginning of the chaos soon to take place downtown, and represents and begins the shift from ethical behavior to indecent and corrupt conduct.

Journey week #5

As the IM begins to bring his journey full circle in this cyclical novel, he is back in the the manhole where he first began his narration. He begins to contemplate why his story is important and what he feels he has learned through the account of the events of his life, especially those in Harlem. He says that “he’s been trying to look inside himself, and theres a risk in it” (444).  The IM has been on a constant spiritual journey throughout his physical journey and the journey he took in relaying the story to the reader. He has come to no definite resolution or conclusion but he has traveled within the depths of his soul to be “reborn” and “transformed”. He has come to a new heightened level of understanding about his circumstances, saying that “ you go along for years knowing something is wrong, than suddenly you discover that your as transparent as air” (446). He realizes now that he has nothing that is owed to him, he has to create a life for himself while understanding that many people wont see him, they will look through him as though he was air. The risk in looking inside himself was the possibility that he would not come to this heightened conclusion of what life is for himself, when taking a journey inwards the IM has to face the possibility that no new information or understanding could come from the journey. Luckily the IM does come to a further understanding about himself and the world around him. The IM consequently though his journey inspires the reader to do the same. The IM allows for the idea of a emotional and spiritual journey to seem feasible to the ordinary person. So through his journey and the account of his journey the IM makes it possible for other similar journeys to occur.

Light vs. Darkness Week 5

At the end of the novel, our invisible man comes full circle to where he was at in the prologue. His process of reaching this place started here and he states, "I was in a deep basement, full of shapeless objects that extended farther than I could see, and I realized that to light my way out I would have to burn every paper in the brief case" (567-68). Here he realizes the only way to find the truth, the light, and to move on with his life into the future is to forget his past, the darkness holding him back, made literal in this sense by the need to burn his old papers from Bledsoe and the Brotherhood. As soon as he does this he notices that the handwriting from the letter he received and that of his new name written on the slip of paper were written by the same person: Jack. He notices this on page 568: "And now seeing the handwriting of the two in the consuming flames I burned my hand and slipped to my knees, starting. The handwriting was the same." He realizes this truth and many others after he forgets his past and moves on with his future. All of the deceit and lies are through with and the truth may emerge now that our invisible man is looking for the truth and throwing out his old ways and the old lies that people told him.

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Allusions

After joining the brotherhood, the narrator quickly gains support within the organization. He is well liked and boasts extremely confident and well spoken speeches. As his time in the brotherhood progresses, he receives an anonymous letter warning him not to act too quickly, for he is still a black man living in a white world. After discussing the matter with his friend Tarp, he gives the narrator a leg iron to remind him of his stature. The iron is an obvious allusion to slavery and white dominance in society, but it has another more subtle meaning as well. The narrator is, in spite of his best efforts, is still a slave to the actions of others. The power figures such as Bledsoe and, for a short time, Jack have over him constantly change his path. The leg iron is a reference to not only the days the african american race spent in slavery, but an ongoing allusion to the events and people that effect the narrators past and future.

Power- Week 4

The invisible man had been working with the “Woman Question” for some time, and he received a phone call summoning him to an emergency meeting at headquarters. After walking in late, he is told that he should “no longer concern [himself] with the Woman Question.” Brother Jack then speaks up and questions, “What has become of Brother Tod Clifton?..He has disappeared, disappeared!” Moving on, Brother Jack ordered the narrator to “return to Harlem immediately” because Brother Clifton “failed in his assignment.” Once the meeting had ended, Brother Jack “emphasized with his gavel” by slamming it on the table. Usually a gavel is a common symbol of power and order because it is often seen in courts-- a place of power that brings justice to the world. The person that holds a gavel is the judge, the most powerful person in a courtroom. They maintain order and are given a great deal of responsibility. In this case Brother Jack is the one holding the gavel, meaning that he is the judge and leader of the Brotherhood. The purpose of the Brotherhood is to achieve equality (justice) for all people, having the same basic principles as a courtroom would. However, this is ironic because he claims that the Brotherhood is an organization that makes decisions as a collective group, but he is the one with the final say-- he holds the gavel.

Speeches #4

Late at night, when the invisible man is called upon by Brother Jack, he finds himself in the "El Toro Bar" (pg.357) sharing drinks with the man. While they are sitting together, it appears as though Brother Jack was "lost in thought" (pg.358).As the invisible man surveys his surroundings, he registers that a mirror panel has been superseded by the depiction of a bullfight. As the bull charged the matador, the "sculptured folds" of his red caped seemed to overtake the bull, and transform them into a "swirl of calm, pure motion" (pg.358) However, looming above, there is a beer ad with "the white image of a girl smiling down" (pg.358). This image presents a depiction of the invisible man in society. The bull is shown as a contrast to the narrator's blind movement, which is steered and formed from the ideals the Brotherhood; something the invisible man describes as"pure grace" (pg. 358). After this imagery, Brother Jack's mood changed and he ignited conversation. When questioning the invisible man over the ideals of their organization, he guides the narrator to assimilate them, yet to not "overdo it" (pg.358) This highlight the domineering influence the brotherhood emits. They seek to instill their values within others, and promote ignorance of self ideology. When he relays this "devastatingly effective" teaching, "one of his eyes glows brighter than the other" (pg. 359). The image of this enlightened eye exhibits Brother Jack's position of knowledge that supersedes the invisible man. While this is occurring, a second scene of bullfighting further down the bar grasps the narrator's view. A contrast to the first depiction is granted; one in which the matador is "swept skyward on the black bull's horns" (pg.358) The symbolism manifested alludes to the inevitable enlightenment of the invisible man, and the repudiation of Brother Jack's influence.

Black vs. White 4

The invisible man receives an anonymous letter delivered to his office at the brotherhood which states things such as "Do not go too fast" and "You are from the South and you know that this is a white man's world. So take a friendly advice and go easy so that you can keep on helping the colored people"(383). Hand in hand with his ongoing conflict of black versus white in this journey has been his conflict of being visible versus being invisible. In this instance these conflicts become one as it is brought to the invisible man's attention that he has not only become extremely visible in the eyes of the community, but also that they continue to view him for what he outwardly appears to be. In the process of rallying his efforts in the brotherhood to stand for the equality and cooperation he believes in, he has exposed himself even more to the world, harming his own inward ability to be invisible. He comes to realize that one of the main proponents in his visibility is his blackness, the very characteristic of himself he is seemingly trying to lessen the importance of. His inferiority is further highlighted by how the invisibility the author of this letter creates for himself by being anonymous allows him to have further control over the invisible man's reaction to its words, causing him to question more than he otherwise would have. The words of this letter remind the invisible man of his grandfather's curse and of the ideologies of the white men of the south and of people like Beldsoe. The reader can see at this point that the invisible man was not yet ready to face and conquer all that he undertook through his membership with the brotherhood. His journey is not yet complete and with the italicizing of the words "white man's world," Ellison is pointing out how the constraints he is fighting will still exist and remain constant everywhere he goes, despite of any inner changes he might experience. The narrator cannot move past these until he deals with how to overcome this ominous reappearance of his grandfather's curse through this not so "friendly advice," only then will he be able to truly be helping his fellow people.

Blindness 4

After the funeral march held for Clifton, the narrator finds Brother Jack along with other members of the Brotherhood at his office. Brother Jack angrily tells the narrator that he should not have affiliated the Brotherhood with the march, because Clifton was a "traitor," (478). The argument escalates and Brother Jack ends up taking out his glass eye. The narrator is shocked and disgusted by the "transparent" eyeball, while the other brothers seem to have been aware of Brother Jack's false eye (485). The glass eye represents not only Brother Jack's blindness, but all of the Brotherhood members' blindness. They believe that they are trying to stop racism, yet they dismiss the fact that Clifton, a black "unarmed man," was unjustifiably murdered by a police officer, because they are more concerned with the fact that he was selling racist dolls (477). By excusing the murder of Clifton, the Brotherhood is not preventing racism, or taking a stand against it, which they claim is the sole purpose for the committee.  This is because they believe "it might harm the prestige of the Brotherhood," and they are not willing to sacrifice their image in society for what is ultimately right (480). The narrator comes to the realization that the brothers are basically the same as the majority of society, who are not willing to acknowledge how ample racism is in America.

Sight and Truth #4

As the story progresses, the reader begins to become aware that Brother Jack and the Brotherhood may not be the best organization for the Invisible Man to be a part of. The reader starts to realize that Brother Jack may be a shady and untrustworthy character as he is telling the Invisible Man about his next speech and how "one of his eyes [was] glowing brighter than the other" (359). This implies that Brother Jack is not showing his true nature as he is "hiding" part of himself behind one eye. Eyes have been said to be windows to the soul, so the fact that one of Brother Jack's eyes does not glow, or show the full light of the truth, is not a good sign. Also, when humans lie, they tend to show it by unconsciously making small changes to their body due to the discomfort that comes with lying. Since he lets this small detail slip, it implies that the statement he makes during this natural mistake, is most likely a lie. This does not bode well for the Invisible Man as the statement that was being made at this time was to not "worry about the brothers..." and that the Invisible Man would "do very well" (359). The reader is also made aware of the fact that something is amiss with this Brother Jack when the Invisible Man comments that as Brother Jack was talking to him, he "looked at [the Invisible Man] as though he did not see [him]" (359). This relates back to topics explored earlier in the novel in that Brother Jack is only taking the Invisible Man for what he sees, the physical representation of him. He is not "seeing" the Invisible Man for who he really is, as in his personality, his ideals and his soul, but he is only interested in the Invisible Man as a symbol and an icon to push his own ideas forward. Brother Jack does not actually care "who" the Invisible Man is, only "what" he is. This is also why the Invisible Man could not tell if Brother Jack "was laughing at [him] or with [him]" because if he saw the Invisible Man for who he really is, he would of course be laughing with him as he would accept him as a person. However, Brother Jack is actually laughing at the Invisible Man because the Invisible Man is trying so hard to become his own person when Brother Jack only wants him as a symbol and to "keep him running".

Blindness: Week 4

The chapter starts off with the Invisible Man being introduced as the district head of the Harlem division and in charge of the social change that occurs there. A new character enters the novel, a handsome and confident young African-American man by the name of Clifton. It's the Invisible Man and Clifton's first "mission" to address the black community in the heart of Harlem similar to their opposing forces, the Nationalists. Later that evening, as they are conducting the speech, the Nationalists leader 'Ras the Exhorter' interrupts the gathering with this men and a fight breaks out. It is important to note on page 369 that the Invisible Man could not even distinguish his own brothers from the Nationalists. He comments, "I couldn't tell ours from theirs and moved cautiously, trying to see,"(369). There is a symbolic aspect to this quote because despite the disparity and animosity between the two groups, they are both fighting and working towards the same thing. He cannot tell which man is on which side, because essentially they are all on the same side. However the Invisible Man and the two groups are blind to this and continue working against each other. When Clifton and the Invisible Man have a personal encounter with Ras, both the Brothers become severely uncomfortable with Ras's remarks. "What kind of education is that?" Ras questions the boys, "What kind of black mahn is that who betrays his own mama?"(pg. 371) Ras spares Clifton for he cannot bear to commit an act of murder against another black man, and his comments elicit flashbacks for the Invisible Man from the Battle Royale. Instead of internalizing and wondering why what Ras is saying is causing such images and feelings inside of him, he turns a blind eye. He instead retreats toward the familiarity like he has always done. This is a reoccurring pattern with the Invisible Man. When he has found some sort of 'community' he instantly adheres to all their ideologies and is reluctant to stray. This scene gives some sort of forewarning to the Invisible Man that the Brotherhood may not be in his best interests, but like the other instances, he refuses to acknowledge what is at hand.

journey week 4

The narrator is in a constant and mysterious journey now that he has joined the brotherhood. He doesn't know exactly what it entails and he just anxiously awaits the next assignment. The brotherhood is not only teaching him about different social groups but they were using him to be the model figure of their group. For example, they did not tell him about being the chief spokesperson until the day before he had to speak in front of the Harlem district. (359) The IM is beginning to unreel the truth of the Brotherhood but still in the unknown when he notices that he is two different people. There is "the old self that slept a few hours a night and dreamed sometimes of my grandfather and Bledsoe and Brockway and Mary, the self that flew without wings and plunged from great heights; and the new public self that spoke for the brotherhood and was becoming so much more important than the other one that I seemed to run a footrace against myself." (380) He feels this because he is in search of his identity. He believes that the brotherhood is a different world, one without limits. But what he doesn't see is that his old world also didn't have limits. The curse that his grandfather said gave him many possibilities, possibilities to be different and stand out and speak his mind, and keep pursuing his dreams. He encouraged him in a way to run this race he believes his is running against himself by writing in the letter on page 33, "to whom it may concern: keep this nigger boy running." I think that what his grandfather said correlates to the situation of the brotherhood because the IM is going to keep on running and pursuing, searching for himself. The brotherhood is a path along the way that will either help him or hinder him.

Power Week 4

The Invisible Man and Clifton come face to face with Ras the Exhorter during a fight in the streets of Harlem that ensues during a speech the Invisible Man is delivering. Ras pulls a knife on Clifton during the fight but is unable to kill him because Clifton is black. Ras has opinions that vary greatly from those of the Brotherhood and in his conversation after fighting with the Invisible Man and Clifton he voices those opinions. Ras accuses them of working with the white men for access to their white women. He says that white men, "tell the black mahn his freedom lies between her skinny legs - while that son of gun, he take all the power and capital and don't leave the black mahn not'ing. (171)" This quote is significant because of the stereotype that Ras presents. Ras accuses the the Invisible Man and Clifton of having sexual desires for white women which displays that blacks and whites during this time both assumed this of the young black men. The stereotype that Ellison challenges in many parts of the novel has a sort of power over people because it prevents anyone from achieving equality if the stereotype lies within both races. It is also significant that Ras mentions the white men taking all the "power and capital" and leaving black men with nothing. Ras accuses white men of using the racial stereotype to manipulate black men so that they may in turn achieve power and profit. This can relate to the Brotherhood because of the idea of them playing a game of chess. The powerful white men in the Brotherhood are using and manipulating minorities such as women and African Americans as pawns to gain power. This can relate to the Grandfather's curse and "keeping him running" because the Invisible Man is acting as the white men want him to. Additionally, it's not just the brotherhood that does this either. While the Invisible Man was in the South the Battle Royal provided evidence of powerful white men exploiting the sexuality of women and using young African American men as a form of twisted horrible entertainment as a way to exert their power.

Allusions week 4- Tripp Hemker

     When the invisible man first moves to the New York area, he unknowingly encounters a man that goes by "Ras the Exhorter".  He sees this man speaking to a crowd and is very moved by his style of speech.  When attempting to copy Ras' style of speech, a fight breaks out between the brotherhood and the black nationalists.  Ras is their leader, and becomes a strong foil to the invisible man.  Ras the Exhorter is an allusion to Ras the Destroyer, Bigger Thomas, and Marcus Garvey.  He stands for black nationalism and separation of races, much like Marcus Garvey with his failed "Back-to-Africa" movement.  As a strong, rational man, he is propelled in his quest and his protest, much like Bigger Thomas.  He also represents a slight twist on Ras the Destroyer, by instead being the character that attempts to change views or "exhort" his views upon others.  All of these elements create a very complex and driven figure in Ras as he goes to fight against the Invisible Man's group and for Black nationalism.

Power

After the narrator completes his training and preparation with Brother Hambro for a significant amount of time, he goes out with Brother Jack to a bar to discuss the evaluation of his training as well as the next steps in his journey. Brother Jack tells him that "Brother Hambro's reports have been excellent." They celebrate his achievements with drinks when Brother Jack announces the narrator's promotion to the Chief Spokesman of the Harlem District. Brother Jack tells him to "not underestimate the discipline. It is very strict, but within its framework you are to have full freedom to do your work." (360) This newfound power that the narrator possesses is quite a change regarding his past lifestyle. He now has the power to extend beyond the racist limitations of the south. He now has the power to change people's lives with the strength and audacity of his speeches. The narrator must learn to effectively manage this power, as well as balance it with the responsibilities of his new position. His transition from a powerless slave to a member of a society working to achieve justice and equality in the community was an arduous journey, but never did he lose ground to his moral and values throughout the process. Although he has this new position of authority, he does not take advantage of his power nor does he lose focus on his motives and aspirations.

Light vs. Darkness Week 4

            In literature, darkness usually represents confusion, uncertainty, bad intentions, mistakes, evil…etc. This is exactly how it is portrayed in chapter 19 of the Invisible Man. The chapter starts off with the narrator meeting a white woman who is wanting to discuss the Brotherhood ideology with him after the speech on women is given. She ends up inviting the invisible man back to her apartment where the narrator finds out that she happens to be a neglected wife who is just wanting to seduce him. After waking up, the invisible man notices the woman’s husband but doesn’t quite know whether he is dreaming or if it’s reality. Everything was a blur as he “lay there in the dark for a while, breathing rapidly. It was strange” (417). The dark here represents obscurity and lack of morals as he slept with a married woman.  In the all of this chaos though, there was a “part of the darkness from where the light had come” (417). This “dim light” (417) displays the tiny glimpse of power attained by the invisible man for having an affair with a white woman in a society where blacks were considered inferior. This situation renders the position of the invisible man as something great and full of might and power.