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.