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was "lost in thought" (pg.358).As the invisible man surveys his surroundings, he registers that a mirror panel has been superseded by the depiction of a bullfight.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.