In the genre of the post-apocaplytic novel, the existing social structure must be obliterated in order for something (hopefully) better to take its place. Some have placed Beloved in this category as we've discussed (in that the community comes together to exorcise the demons of slavery's past- getting rid of Beloved- and begins to heal). After reading these chapters, do you think that Invisible Man is part of this genre? Does it transform this genre in any way?
Other questions to consider:
*How has the narrator come to adopt one of Bledsoe's strategies?
*How does the narrator use grammar to ridicule Sybil?
*How does the burning tenement show progress?
*How is humor used to show Ras's ridiculousness?
*What is the rhetorical effect of Ras getting hit by a spear?
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The narrator has accepted Bledsoe's strategy of lying to the whites. Bledsoe lies to the white trustees to ensure his power and keep the whites happy. The narrator lies to the whites on the committee of the Brotherhood, hopefully "yessing" them to death. The narrator lies to the committee about the success of the Brotherhood in Harlem. The narrator later has the strategy taught to him by Bledsoe backfire when the race riot occurs in Harlem. Both lie to the whites, Bledsoe for personal power, the narrator for revenge.
I think it is kind of ironic that the narrator is involved in the burning of the tenement building since he started with the Brotherhood after the dispossesing of the old couple from their home. In the section about the tenement burning, it says, "...the occasionally prayerful protest of some old ones being forced to leave ..." (pg. 279). I think this sounds an awful lot like the dispossesing of the old couple, where they wanted to go back inside and pray. The people of the tenement building are also innocent people being thrown out of their homes.
I think the narrator’s brief case has been a symbol of perseverance and hope for the narrator throughout the story. The narrator proudly receives the brief case after his speech at the beginning of the story and regards it as the key to his future, bringing it with him everywhere. In Ch. 25, the narrator nearly loses the brief case in the fire, but returns to save it, showing that he is still clinging to his identity. But when the civilians in the street ask him what is in his brief case, the narrator is overcome with shame and seems to feel his life has been a failure. The burning of its contents is very important because it signifies the complete loss of his previous identity; with his papers gone he can no longer be who he once was. Unfortunately, the narrator’s dream at the beginning of the story with his grandfather and the brief case has come true.
I think that this novel illustrates the often complicated choice between honesty or lies. In the beginning the narrator is an openly trusting person, always telling the truth and doing what he is told. Time after time this method backfires. By the end the narrator has taken to lying to the brotherhood, saying what they want to hear. Unfortunately for the narrator this backfires also and the riot ensues. It seems that no matter what path the narrator chooses he is always wrong.
I think that now, since the narrator threw a spear and injured Ras in the mouth, Ras will not be able to speak and give orders. Because the mob listens and follows the orders of a higher power, which is Ras, they will not be able to anymore. Because Ras is injured his jaw is all "locked up" and he cannot talk.
Before chapter 25 Ras was seen as a threat to the brotherhood, and therefore the narrator. Ras was viewed as a danger to society. But in this chapter we receive insight from regular people. We discover that his intimidating steed is actually just an old horse used to pull a vegetable wagon. And that his seemingly forceful demands are laughed off by typical citizens. By overhearing the men mock Ras the narrator realizes how ridiculous it was to fear Ras in the first time, when he should have been fearing the brotherhood.
Towards the beginning of the novel the narrator had a great respect for Bledsoe and he looked up to him because he was quite powerful for an African American for the time the novel takes place. After the incident with Mr. Norton, the narrator learns that Bledsoe will say or do whatever the white people tell him for his own personal gain, even if that means agreeing to things he doesn't agree with. He also doesn't care about who he has to sacrifice to gain that power. The narrator startes doing the same thing when the Brotherhood tells him he must do what he is told. The narrator agrees to do what they say eventhough he doesn't agree, hoping that this will cause the downfall of the Brotherhood.
In the beginning of the novel, the narrator looks up to Dr. Bledsoe because of his success in a world usually dominated by white men. However, the narrator is shocked to find out that Bledsoe has built his success by lying to white people and using them to acheive success for himself. The narrator witnesses Bledsoe putting on an act when he is dealing with Mr. Norton. It is ironic that when the narrator first arrives in New York he begins to worry about his apperance to the white people as well.
The narrator adopts Bledsoe’s strategy of lying to white people. The Brotherhood headquarters sends the narrator out to investigate how Harlem is doing. When the narrator reports back he lies and tells them that Harlem is quieting down. The narrator also gives the Brotherhood a fake list of new members. However when Bledsoe lied it was for him to continue to hold his power and when the lied narrator it was to get revenge on the Brotherhood.
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