- your reactions
- your questions
- your thoughts
- words, phrases, or sentences that stood out to you
- your engagement with the novel: dissect it, unravel it, work your way around in it
- what you think will happen next or at some point in the future
Note: I want you to be honest about your thoughts, but this is not your opportunity to whine or complain. Let's keep these posts thoughtful, intelligent, critical, and insightful.
Do not make your post simply a list of questions you expect someone else to answer.
Nor do I want a summary of what happened.
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71 comments:
Mrs. Charbonnet, I have a question (this doesn't count as my blog post for the week). For the journal, do we need to make an entry for each chapter, or how should it be organized?
You can do it one of two ways:
1. Write the topic down and then keep a running list of every time you see that occur
2. Organize your notes by chapter, and note each time the item occurs in the chapter
Either way is fine! Just put this in your notebook, you won't actually turn it in. (But I might check it or it could be on a quiz)
Hope this helps!
The saddest part in the book to me so far was when the narrator gets up to make his speech. He has just boxed while blindfolded, watch a naked girl, and tried to get money on an electrocuted rug. While he is doing this, he is being laughed and yelled at as though he is mere entertainment and not really a person. I could feel his embarrassment as he tried to give his speech and make himself stand out, but no one listened. It made me feel bad for him because I know what it feels like to want to be seen as an individual rather than just a black person. I just hope that the narrator will find that dignity that he lacks by the end of the novel.
I think that is cool how everything has a meaning. It shows that he put a lot of effort into making this book. It is confusing at times but then it clears up in the end. He definitely contrasts different scenes such as the school and trueblood's house and the GoldenDay. I think he does this to show the narrators different viewpoints on different settings and lifestyles.
I thought these opening chapters were a decent beginning to a good story. At first, when I read that the man was African-American, I expected a rising over of slavery. I was expecting something along the lines of Frederick Douglass but with a contemporary Harlem feel. However, I was happily greeted with an opening scene of extreme violence and realistic events of the time. (Not to say I was happy about the rude behavior towards blacks. I just like reading a book in high school that is actually written for an adult, and I am not treated like some first grade student.) Overall the "adult" feel of the book has kept me interested and the use of the African-American dialogue is always something that puts me into each and every scene. I still do not understand why Dr. Bledsoe was so nice to the narrator after he was expelled. It was weird and did not seem much like a college president.
Chapter three has stood out to me as the most entertaining and bizarre thus far. It was completely chaotic. Upon first read, it was easy for me to justify the narrator's actions despite the critical opinions of his superiors. However, after analyzing the situation more closely, I can't imagine how he could have thought taking Norton into the bar necessary. With an attic of prostitutes and a band of raging madmen, the Golden Day was hardly the makeshift hospital that the narrator had intended it to be. I found the asylum attendees' formal names and words humorous amidst their savage demeanor; my favorite part was when Sylvester encouraged the narrator to kick Supercargo in the ribs, as "it gives you relief." (page 84)
I want to start with a question about the grandfather's advice: He is saying that he is a traitor to his own race, right? And I'm not sure how he is a "traitor."
One event in the story that stood out to me was the battle royal before the narrator gave his speech. It's here that I notice there is a role reversal between the whites and the blacks. The whites are supposedly the civilized ones while the black people are supposedly the uncivilized and uneducated lot. Here, at the battle royal, it is the white people that are the inhumane, cruel, and unforgiving ones while the black boys (puppets) are helpless and are at the mercy of the white people (puppet masters). This event is also a prime example of how the author characterizes the white and black people by "showing."
Even in the first few chapters of the novel we can see how the narrator can be seen as an Invisible Man. He constantly lets others push him around and manipulate his each and every move. He is unable to stand up for himself and his beliefs and is haunted by the advice of his grandfather. The one time that the narrator does attempt to stand apart from everyone else is in his speech. This one attempt to make himself known proves disastrous as the white men simply do not take is insights seriously. Perhaps this event is what triggered the narrators slip into invisibility.
Perhaps later on in the novel more evidence of the narrators rejection will surface, giving an even greater idea of the motivations of the narrator.
At first I really didn't understand what was going on in the battle royal scene, and then it hit me that all of these boys were beating each other up for the amusement of the white men. When I came to this realization, I was actually really upset to think that human beings would actually do something this cruel to others. I'm pretty sure that's why it didn't make sense to me at first, because of just how downright mean it is. The first thought that came to my mind when reading this, was that it reminded me of a huge dog fight. All the blood and the screaming, it was pure chaos! And the whole time the IM just wanted to read his speech, it shocked and saddened me. I realized that we're lucky today to not have to live in a world so violent and cruel to each other, just because of our race.
I thought that the first chapter was rather odd. I could not figure out what was going on. like why was there a girl completely naked? But i understand now that both the naked woman and the African Americans were there to entertain the white men. Then at the end they finally let him give his speech after he has been beaten for the past couple of hours. I thought that was just unreal to put someone through that. They did do a nice gesture bu giving him a scholarship to college. I definitely was not expecting at the end of chapter six for the narrator to be kicked out for doing what he was told to do. Dr. Bledsoe did have a point that they may seem like they are taking orders from the white man but really they (the black people) are in control.
I really like the novel so far, even though through the Prologue and Chapter One I was really confused about the significance of everything. But after reading through chapter six, I realize the importance of all the stories we are being told. The story of Trueblood was really disturbing, and it made me mad how he almost didn't even act remorseful of his sins. He was almost pleased with his actions because now the white men seemed to like him more. I think this is the first time Mr. Norton sees the side of humanity and sees a different side of blacks in general. He is sick because of the thought that he devoted his life to people like Trueblood and that they are the ones deciding his fate. It causes him to take a step back and rethink his life plan.
I think so far this is one of the better books that I have read. Usually I get bored with the books assigned in class, but this one actually keeps me interested. I like how Emerson use symbols for everything and that you really have to think about the point he is trying to make. I felt bad for the narrator in the first chapter, seeing as he lost his grandfather, he is taunted by his grandfather's advice, he has to watch a naked woman dance, fight in the battle royal, and then, after being completely humiliated, he has to get up in front of the white men and give a speech. I also didn't really like Mr. Trueblood. What he did was awful, yet he didn't act the least bit sorry for what he had dont.
I think the "invisible man" is in an identity crisis; he has no alias and constantly struggles with being black in a world controlled by whites. His grandfather's final words are conflicted and contradictory: he encourages a psychophantic lifestyle with an expectation of receiving what he deserves. As in the "Battle Royal", the invisible man panders to the whites and becomes entertainment; his willingness to give away dignity by blinding himself, literally and metaphorically, only disparages his race and himself. His "uncle tom" type conformity leads to a realization of the downfall of his wistful thinking. It is only through pride and rigidity in opposition that the invisible man may reach equality. I predict that the invisible man will have a conflict in the near future, which may offer redemption.
What has stood out to me and struck me the most in this novel so far is the roles of blacks and whites. I find it so interesting to see that the the blacks almost work to fulfill their stereotype. For example, the battle royal. I was so shocked when I read that because of the brutality that took place, yet none of the blacks were mad at the white men, instead they were mad at eachother. It confuses me how they don't take a stand for themselves and band together, but at the time that was not even an option. That is the interesting part, that the whites had hypnotized them to think that they were so far beneath them. However, I think eventually the narrator will take a stand and realize that he is equal to whites.
When we first started reading this novel I had to double take on almost every sentence. First there is a man who has an obsession with lights then we have a naked blond woman in the middle of a fight. It was very confusing to me but after that first chapter I started to catch on to the actual idea of the novel. The black man acting as the narrator holds himself down in order to get somewhere in the world which I believe is ironic. Then again, like his grandfather said, you cannot get anywhere unless you deceive those who keep you down. This book is developing itself nicely so we'll see where it will lead us.
What really stood out to me was the cruelty of the white men at the party. The blindfolding, names, violence, humiliation, electric carpet, etc. are so cruel and sad. Making them scramble for money wasn't enough, they had to try to inflict as much pain as possible. Especially since after all of that, they had put fake coins down.
I also found Mr. Norton interesting. he seems very intrigued by everything that he sees during the trip and refuses to leave, and then is upset by what he witnessess. It makes me wonder what it is that makes him so curious. He seems determined to hear Trueblood's story because he finds it hard to believe to think that such a thing would happen, yet he becomes ill as a result. It seems that he is intrigued by the plight of the African Americans, but whenever he sees any sign of fault of his own or of people like him, he becomes angry or ill and turns away, while before he had refused to leave.i was glad that he said that he stood up for the narrator, but the fact that his desire to talk to Trueblood and the vet lead to the narrato's expulsion is a little annoying.
So far I like the book. It is unlike what we usually read which is just like the generic school book with nothing really special about it. The book is wierd; he compares everything to animals and the circus and has some really unusual scenes like the story about Trueblood and the events of the Battle Royal. I also like all of the contrasting characters because they show so many different kinds of people and help relieve some stereotypes. I also like the foreshadowing of the seven letters. I don't think they are really intended to get him work; I think they're intended to keep him from it.
I will start by saying I do not like this book and probably won't like it by the end. I believe that the invisible man is completely wrong about how he should go about his life and finding his identity. In the beginning chapters he has just gone with the flow of being a black in society and allowed himself to be steered through school. He does not seem to have any friends and instead of having fun and making the most of his life he only pushes himself and makes it his priority to become the model student. Rather than become bitter and reclusive as foreshadowed in the prologue, he should try to make the best of his life and the suppression by making friendships, working toward getting a decent job and getting married.
Past my belief that the invisible man is foolish and obsessed with the ideal of isolation, I was fascinated by the prospect of everything in the book having a meaning, especially the names. I noticed that Ellison named Trueblood because of his true black roots in society. He is ostracized and resented by the all black school because he is a farmer trying to make his living after slavery. He does make a rather large mistake, but he is still looked down upon for living in the old part of town a part of the regretted black history. Dr. Bledsoe was the other name i analyzed. I broke it down into soe and bled, and I figure Ellison wanted it to mean that he sowed his own blood to get to his position of principle, leaving him to be the power-hungry and stubborn person he is.
I love how the language is easily understood and a quick read. The main thought in my mind that keeps returning as I read is that the narrator remains nameless throughout; it adds to the effect of him being invisible, but it seems to me that it has at least one other underlying message. I think Ellison may be trying to show that in the grand spectrum of a movement, like civil rights, one man has very rarely made a difference, and in order to get things accomplished, groups would be the most effective method.
My other favorite moment of the book so far is when Dr. Bledsoe says, "'But I've made my place in it and I'll have every Negro in the country hanging on tree limbs by morning if it means staying where I am"' (page 143). How can one man in such a position of power like the president of a college think it feasible to kill off all the black people, just so he can keep HIS position? Just a defining moment that changed my view on Dr. Bledsoe.
I'm in the middle of liking and not liking the book. Its okay. but its not something i would pick up and read for leisure...The whole thing seems to be his struggles of trying to been seen. when i started reading the opening chapter, I expected it to be something like Fredrick Douglas and having to overcome slavery. But its differnt, which makes me want to read more. but there are some parts that i just can't keep my attention on.
but only a few.
other than that. its a pretty rad book.
:F
So far I think the book is decent. It's somewhat confusing, but it's keeping my attention. Chapter two and three have been the most interesting in my opinion. In chapter three, the vet describes the narrator as being "a mark on the scorecard of your achievement, a thing and not a man" in the eyes of Mr. Norton; he says the narrator views Mr. Norton as "not a man to him, but a God." It is ironic to me that they later call the man insane. I think he is the only person in the novel so far that sees things for what they truly are.
My favorite character thus far is definitely the vet. He seems to be the only person who can see clearly through people's facades and understand the implications behind them. He's also the first one to tell the narrator straight to his face that he is an invisible man. He call tell right away that the narrator is only a tool (machine) to Mr. Norton and that he views Mr. Norton as "a God, a force," something superior to himself. The narrator tells Dr. Bledsoe that the vet talked like a white man, but I don't really think so because why would a white man want to tell the narrator what he truly is? It would be better for a white man to keep them thinking that "white is right" to keep order. So I don't think the vet is quite like a black man or quite like a white man. He's more of a transcendent figure, which I find very cool.
I love how Ellison has such a peculiar way of describing things like when he says that the woman's eye shadow was the color of a baboon's butt. He really makes the IM stand out among society like when the IM describes himself as the morally correct one just trying to succeed whilst all this sinful chaos is about him. Also, I think Ellison designed Jim Trueblood as the stereotypical African American viewed through the oppressive white man's eyes. Jim, as in the Jim Crow laws and Trueblood which is ironic. Trueblood can perhaps emphasize the horrible crime he committed, because he and his daughter are blood related yet it is ironic because the meaning of true is good or right.
I love this book! The IM is an easy character to identify with. I'm excited to see his transition from yes man to silent rebel. I like Ellison's use of imagery. It's beautiful! On page 105 he says, "In the hall, fine dust played in a shaft of sunlight, stirred by her hurried passing." Speaking of "her", I also like how women are portrayed in the novel. They are able to bend the rules, because they're seen as clueless and almost child-like. They are able to slip under the radar, undetected. Looking foreward to reading more. :)
The most memorable part well actually character was the vet who claimed to be a doctor and helped revive Mr. Norton. Unlike any other black person in the book, he is willing, and does, talk to white men as they are equal to or even lower than himself. He openly critizes the narrator for conforming to what the whites want him to become, a automaton. At the end of the conversation, he blatantly tells them both that they do not care about each other or even see each other as humans. They are merely objects or a force as he says. The fact that they reject what he says shows how unwilling either race is to change their ways and find a way to coexist. He is never given a name and therefore has no identity himself. He is simply a force, like a ghost, that serves as the concrete of their realizations of their contrasting behavior. After that, he virtually ceases to exist, the narrator cannot recall anything about him, he is only a vague memory.
When Mr. Norton gets into the car with the narrator, i braced myself for a dull chapter. Then, out of nowhere, Jim Trueblood is introduced. With a shocking story to back up his peculiar placement in this part of the novel, Trueblood is by far the most interesting character. We are told his background, yet there seems to be so much more to him than what is revealed so early on. He seems to have an honest demeanor about him in spite of his sin and it feels inevitable that every action relates back to some part of this character.
In my opinion, one of the most interesting parts of the novel deals with the dual meanings of the black and white symbols. For example, when Barbee is giving the famous "our founder was an awesome man" speech, he is described by wearing comepletely black clothing with the exception of a white collar around his neck. I believe the collar represents the white man's choking hold on the opinions and thoughts of black men, whether they realize it or not. While they feel completely free, they are still silently under control of the white man's needs.
The part that stood out to me the most in these chapters was definitly when he is at the party deal trying to give his speech. It struck me that at one point he kept saying that all he wanted to do was give his speech, and he said he kept thinking over it in his head. That was crazy to me; He was being beaten and tricked and humiliated but the most important thing to him was giving his speech that no one listened to anyway. I am also pretty shocked that he just doesn't completely despise white people after that event.
I love the metaphors in the book. Ellison takes the most random things, that otherwise wouldn't make sense, and makes the reader think about the comparison and understand the connection. The part that stands out to me the most is the Battle Royal mostly because it is so detailed, and all the actions of the scene are so demented and out there, yet everything has a meaning. It depicts the animalistic view the whites had of the blacks through an attention-getting narrative, and it does so without allowing the reader to get lost in the plot. In the future I think the narrator, who now trie to gain the acceptance of the whites, will realize that white people are not the best people and begn to rebel as hinted at in the prologue.
My reactins today are mainly concerned with Dr. Bledsoe. He strikes me as an interesting character. He acts in a subserviant manner towards the white people who visit the college, yet he claims to have a strong, almost absolute power over them. Ironically, his only true power, at this point, is he dean of a small college. He seems to think the he has more power than he actually does. It will be interesting, hopefully, to see how this character develops.
I'm actually enjoying this book, which is really unusual for me. I've so far found it easy to read and fairly easy to understand the symobolism of everything. My favorite part was in Chapter 3 when Mr. Norton and the narrator went to the Golden Day. It caught my attention with all the action from the fighting and absurd comments from the veterans. I thought the vet had the most insightful ideas so far into life and as to why the narrator considers himself invisible. It was comical the way he made it sound so degrading, too. I think during our next reading section, the narrator will realize what it is he needs to do to become "visible" to the world. He will have to realize this through isolation since he won't know anybody up north.
The part of the novel that has stood out the most to me so far is the scene in which Mr. Norton meets Trueblood. We talked in class today about how Trueblood has sex with his daughter, and Mr. Norton becomes enraged once he hears this. But Ellison uses the word 'envy' to describe the look upon his face, as well. It appears as if he wishes he could commit such a heinous crime as the one that Trueblood did, but, due to his high position in society, he would be ridiculed and disgraced if he did.
Also, the black people seem to be ashamed of Trueblood, and it appears as if they think he is bringing down the African American race by going along with the ignorant, savage stereotype. On the other hand, the white people seem to actually understand Trueblood's crime, and he gets more recognition and reward for doing this horrible crime than he has for any good deed in his whole lifetime. The white people aren't upset with Trueblood's impregnating his daughter because they assume that is how all black people act. He lives up to the stereotype, and, as long as the black people realize their place, they are happy with that.
The fact that Mr. Norton gave Trueblood money, though, upsets me. I don't think that Trueblood deserves any more money than the narrator or any other hard-working man in the novel does. Trueblood has already proven that he has become spoiled because of his daughter's pregnancy, and I don't think Mr. Norton should give him even more money that he doesn't really need. Mr. Norton lives up to his stereotype as a haughty, rich white person just as Trueblood does to an ignorant, undignified black person.
Hopefully the Invisible Man will shatter both of these stereotypes!
I am simply loving the book so far. There is quite a bit of difficulty in trying to pick out every little detail Ellison writes and figure out what it symbolizes. However, it clutches your attention. It is usually hard for me to find a good book or get into a book, but this one has had me interested from the Prologue. It is such a realistic story--the loss of ones identity, especially as a minority--that I may not be able to relate to, but I can see it happening. My prediction after the sixth chapter is that the narrator, being the ridiculously naive man that he is, might put himself through one or two more embarrassing or blatantly absurd events before he begins to transform into the narrator we saw in the Prologue. I am excited to see what else is in store for the invisible man.
I think that part that stood out the most to me was when the narrator begins to describe the school's campus. I think that the statue with the found lifting the viel off of the black student who is kneeling before him. I think that it symbolizes the fact that no matter how hard black students try to integrate themselves into the white society, they will always be the weaker race because the white teachers teach only what they view as acceptable. They restrict what the students learn in order to keep them from rebeling against them and to keep themselves in power over the black race. So ultimatly, I think that the founder of the school is lowering the veil on the student rather than taking it off the student.
I think its really ironic in chapter six how Mr. Bledsoe is obsessed with power. It seems like the narrator really respects Mr.Bledsoe and hates him at the same time. Almost as if he is hating what he wants to become. It seems like the narrator has no control over his life no matter the race. Everyone is telling him what to do, and he pretty much does it. I believe the first time he shows that he has identity is when he is so angry at Mr. Bledsoe he wants to fight him and in a way lower himself, but then he turns around and does what he is told to do. I also think Mr. Bledsoe's name is ironic. it sounds like bleed so... as if his blood if flowing. Everyone has the same blood no matter the race. and this is ironic since he seems like one of the most racist characters so far.
I enjoy how everything is a symbol. And when you first said everything, I had no idea you really meant EVERYTHING. Sometimes it's hard for me to go that deep and figure out the meanings behind things, but I'm glad this is our first book, so I can challenge myself to find those meanings and get better at it before the AP Test.
I was talking to Mrs. Albee, my homeroom teacher, about the novel the other day. She told me that basically every chapter is a new story. I really like that idea. The battle royal wasn't cut into two different chapters. Every event pertaining to that situation is in one chapter. The talk with Trueblood, one chapter; the Golden Day, one chapter. It helps me to separate certain events, even though it is just one novel.
I do have one question though. It might be because we are only six chapters into the novel, but I'm a little lost about the narrator's position on white people. I understood his grandfather's advice, but it seemed to me like the narrator didn't understand it, and just ended up following it unconsciously. Maybe later chapters will clear this up though.
I was really confused through the prologue and it only got worse in chapters one and two. I spent a lot more time going "Did he really just say that?" and "Wait, what?" than I was comfortable with. But after reading and reading prologue through chapter six, things started to clear up.
I was shocked by Trueblood's story, but after talking about it in class I see why it was needed. The tale shows how the blacks discriminate against themselves if they feel like their opportunities are being threatened and how the whites will help those who they know can not overcome their hardships and become equal to them.
The part that has stuck out the mosr so far is probably the briefcase. It is a blatant image of how the whites can pretend to help the blacks better themselves, all the while knowing that they can make the status climb a nightmare for the blacks. It is impossible to miss the " rope of bloody saliva" and see its relation to slavery, lynching, being restrained from reaching your highest potential.
All in all, it took a while to get into the way Ellison writes, but now I am understanding and liking IM much more.
The answer to the question about the meaning behind the grandfathers advice, or atleast my perspective of it.
His advice is to act and appear to be humble and respect the white man and constantly say yes ma'am and no ma'am. To give them, or let them think they have power over you. To act as if you are still a slave and not a free man and to watch them and see through them.
He says to not go the path of the other black people and embrace freedom. That is how he is a traitor and he says he's a spy by not only betraying his people but when he humbles himself to the white's in the back of his mind he is just watching how they think they are over him. He is a spy on thier lifestlye.
The thing that really seemed to stand out to me was the idea of social responsibility vs. social equality. As the narrator read his speech, the white people totally ignored him. He repeated "social responsibility" over and over, and still they acted as though he did not exist. But one accidental utterance of the words "social equality," and everyone becomes silent and stares at him in anger and disbelief. This shows how insane the notion of social equality was at the time. Blacks were praised if they were humble and socially responsible to the whites, yet they could not even dream of social equality. The narrator is pushed around constantly because he lives as others want him to live. He does not think for himself; he is a puppet and the white race is his puppeteer. I believe soon he will realize that this subservience will never get him anywhere. He will never advance, no matter how much he studies or how responsible he is, because he is black.
Something that has stood out to me so far is Ellison's absurd and unpredictable plot. As I read through each crazy thing the narrator has to go through, I think "goodness, surely Ellison will not put this guy through anything else!" But of course, once the narrator has survived the battle royal, Ellison does not wait long to describe his traumatizing encounter with Mr. Norton and Trueblood, and then his expulsion from school. I had to ask myself why in the world Ellison would include such horrible things, but after our discussion in class, I now see how these parts are vital symbols that vividly demonstrate the extent of racial tension then. It makes me angry how not only the whites are against him, but even the black people, as well! I am ready for him to stand up and stop letting himself fall victim to all of his circumstances, but unfortunately, I know that Ellison probably has many more struggles in his path before that day can come(if it ever does).
I really like Ellison's style of writing. He has no qualms of getting to grotesque images. In fact, doing so would retract from the realness of the book. He also has a great sense of humor. This can be see through his descriptions or dialogue. For instance, the dialogue between Mr. Norton and Trueblood grows quite humorous from Trueblood's responses. Overall, Ellison's style of writing makes this book a quick and enjoyable read.
I find this novel quite frustrating. Just following the narrator's path through life and all of the trials and tribulations he must go through just erk me. The Battle Royal was just absolutely horrifying, and I admire the character for standing tall and making his speech afterwards, even though no one was really listening. The Quarters and the Golden Day scenes just seemed quite odd, but I think the Narrator learned a lot about himself like that he really is invisible. I was angered and saddened by the scene when Dr. Bledsoe insults the narrator and even calls him the "n" word, which he probably have never been called that by someone he trusted and believed in, let alone someone of his own race. I really just hope that instead of constantly following the "white line" he will grow out of his invisibility and let himself be heard, yet still abide by the killing-by-kindness advice that his grandfather had given.
In general, I find this book to be, well, readable, and I enjoy reading the descriptions of the different settings, especially the college one.
My first reaction i had to reading this novel was i felt somewhat sympathetic towards the narrator and his naive nature. He seems so genuine and trusting and just wants to succeed in life. I feel like he wants to please everyone and do the very best that he can, for he is constantly worried what people will think if he disappoints them. I think later in the novel he will come out of his naivety and realize that he wont be able to accomplish all of the things that he wishes or originally thought he could. In the prologue we can clearly see he is definitely not the same person as he was earlier in his life, so i think a certain something or many things will change his aspect on who he is and what his future will hold.
So far, i think this book is very interesting and different to anything I've ever really read. I'm looking forward to finding out more about his life story and what leads him to becoming who he is now.
To be honest, when I started reading this novel, I was confused and thought it was a little weird..a man living in a hole in New York? Not just any hole, but a hole fully equipped with stolen light? I thought it was strange, but was interested when I found out he was an educated young man. That also was sad, however, when he proves himself to be extremely naive about the racism in the society around him; you would think that the kid would have a bit more common sense. Still, I thought it showed the truth of the times; though slavery was over, racism still existed. And the fact that he wanted status and power so much was so sad, mainly because he would let the white men humiliate him just so he could read some speech; that part just made me feel for him and his naivety. So far, the book is not bad, except for the disturbing part with Trueblood and Mr. Norton; that was kind of odd. But it looks to be a book that will continue to get better as the narrator travels to New York.
The grandfather's comment stood out to me. I think it will be important throughout the book, and serve as a reference point for the narrator.
His dying words portray him as a traitor to his own race and therefore to himself. I think that despite his family's prodding the narrator has instilled in his life his interpretation of that quote, and is constantly in a state of confusion as to how it applies to his life.
Is he too a traitor? Should he live passively and agreeably to the white society? Or should he openly protest and fall in line with the rest of his race? I think the following chapters will help answer these questions.
First off, I am confused about the grandfather and his weird statement to his son. He calls himself a traitor, claiming that he had been a spy on the "other side" and such, but why does he ask his son to become a "traitor" and enter white society if he knows that there is a massive boundary that keeps him from really making a difference?
I was really caught off guard when i got into these first few chapters. In the prologue, we meet the narrator in his present state, but it was weird then see him as a person who pretty much followed the rules of society by "by the book". Seeing the fight in chapter one and reading of all the controversial characters and events centered around the school, I really started to get an insight as to why he became such an outcast. It was sad to see him so naive and blind in these chapters, but they are necessary to build on why and how he became how he is now.
I found it odd that Trueblood was not punished for his dirty actions. He holds the tuth for the stereotypical black man. He acts as if he is not very sorry for what he has done, and by not being punished he is being 'told' by the whites when they give him money, that what he did is acceptable. When the whites, and Mr. Norton give him money, Trueblood's situation is like when a parent tells a child that what they did was okay even if it really was not, and is taboo in society, just like Truebloods action of getting his daughter pregnant.
I think that the reason the whites act like it is okay, is to hide the fact that they really are the "bad apples" of society and are causing all the pain.
For me, the battle royale scene really stood out. It was upsetting that nothing was really accomplished by the narrator’s speech because just before he gave it, he was reduced to fighting blindly like an animal, confirming all the stereotypes that the white men already had about black men.
I also thought the grandfather's dying words had a great impact on the narrator. I think that the narrator has so much more trouble with invisibility and not knowing his true identity because he is trying to follow his grandfather's wish, and in his attempts to live the way his grandfather said to, he loses himself more and more becoming this invisible man that he is.
When I first started reading Invisible Man, I thought it was just going to be about overcoming the past but its more than that. IM seems to mock the outside world in the beginning, but when he describes how he gets to that point, I start to get more interested. I am most surprised by how IM seems more interested in being around white people, instead of his own race. Ellison portrays this character as one that constantly learns something from everything he does. When he is giving his speech, and is trying to get his point across (racial equality- maybe true meaning?) he realizes that the white men do not see him as their equal, but what they want him to be. I think that this is one of the starting points where IM starts to be invisible, even though he does not realize it yet.
I thought that Ellison created a fairly quick read during the first few chapter, despite my intense annotations. At first I was quite confused about the grandfather's quote much like that of the narrator, but I realized that the grandfather wants the blacks to make the whites believe that they are the blind ones, but in reality they are in control. But my favorite passage in this set of chapters was the vet's criticism of Mr. Norton and the narrator. I believe that the vet was implying that to be invisible does not necessarily have to be connected with the color of one's skin. He is really implying that because Mr. Norton and the narrator do not truly have a sense of identity, they both are invisible; especially the narrator, for he only behaves how the whites want him to while ignoring his true beliefs and actions.
I don't understand why the narrator thinks of himself as a complete one of a kind when he refers to himself as an "invisble man." Judging from what the vet and Dr. Bledsoe had to say about his invisibility, I get the sense that they view it as his complete submission to higher beings in society without second thoughts or worries. Sure it makes the narrator naive and ignorant, perfectly fitting into the white man's scheme; however, how many other black youths believed the same things the narrator did? I'm sure a lot did at the time, many of them at the school he attended probably.
Also----does the color red represent anything in the novel? I noticed repetitive scenes with red, but I'm not sure if it was just coincidence or not. But then again it seems like nothing is just coincidence in this book.
I love all the symbolisim of the book. When you read the novel you have to analyze everything said, for it may have two meanings. One of the commonly used symbols that I noticed was the white line on the highway, as the narrator drove Mr. Norton. Ellison constantly suggests that they are crossing over the "white" line to the area where the black farmers of the community live. The members of the university live on the other side of the white line and are ashamed of their lower class counterparts. Ellison writes that the narrator wishes he was back on the other side of the white line, showing that he wants to be on the "white" side of the line. He wants to be part of that white fraternity.
After only reading the prologue and beginning of the first chapter, I thought the book was very confusing. I only had bits of information about how he is invisible and his relationships with other people and also the strange quote from his grandfather. I think Ellison did a really good job tying all of these bits of information together, especially how he used his grandfather's quote to show the basic feeling that blacks had toward whites in that time. Also, I like how he favors neither blacks nor whites, criticising them both.
Until the discussion in class today, I didn't realize the part where Norton was possibly guilty of incest over his own daughter. I knew that Norton was unusually interested in Trueblood's story of raping his own daughter, but it didn't come to me that he was interested because he was in a similar situation. Norton describes his daughter as a " being more rare, more beautiful, purer, more perfect and more delicate than the wildest dream of a poet." I understand a father's love for his daughter, but in this quote, you can tell that he is fantasizing about his own daughter...
One thing that really caught my attention is the presence of character foils. The main one that I noticed was the relationship between Trueblood and the vet. Trueblood represents the stereotypical black man of the time. He is ignorant and uncivilized in his actions. For this, Mr. Norton rewards him. He makes the whites feel comfortable about who they are and how they can justify separation and reign over this so called "inferior race." The vet, on the other hand, possesses everything that is against the stereotype: he is intelligent, wise, and once carried out the honorable task of being a doctor. Because he is, in some way, like the whites, Mr. Norton is afraid of him and gets abgry. He does not want to admit that blacks are as equally capable and mighty as whites.
I thought that the story line for the Invisible Man was very good and I especially liked the battle royal. However, there were a few areas that confused me like the entire sermon. It took me until close to the end of that chapter to understand who the man was talking about. The characters in the story are also confusing at times but overall I do like them. I didn't like Trueblood very much though because of the whole insest thing but he did keep the story interesting. Overall, I did enjoy the ongoing idea of what reality is for the black race and what the invisible man thinks that it is at first.
I must say I actually am enjoying the book (however messed up it might be). So far I've found the book to seem pretty funny (sadistic?) in the ways the white people of the book act, specifically Mr. Norton's attempts at feeling good about his self. If you actually look into the character, you'll find that while he seems to be a wealthy white man who actually wants to better his African-American brothers, he is merely trying to buy his conscience. I found this true especially when Mr. Norton hears about Trueblood’s story and becomes envious of Trueblood, and repents his envy by giving Trueblood a one-hundred dollar bill. I find this one of the best portrayals of the upper-class white man of the time period.
So far, this book is crazy amazing. I honestly wonder if the invisible man is a reliable narrator, because throughout at the beginning of the novel he said that he WAS naiive and is now educated, so he must have some kind of a warped view as he tells his story. My biggest question when I'm reading is: Who is he invisible to? It seems like he doesn't really fit in anywhere. Just putting it out there!
This is Ashley, my glogster account won't work... argh!!! (Hence the lateness)
While I was reading about Mr. Norton's fascination with Jim Trueblood's incest, the idea that he (Mr. Norton) wanted to rape his daughter crept into my mind. I wasn't sure if I was completely off base with my feeling, but during class we discussed how he couldn't believe she was his flesh and blood and how he looked at Trueblood in envy. I found the whole thing completely fascinating, not because I think incest is good or anything. It's just such a taboo subject that when Ellison used it so boldly, I was entranced. His diction and mastery of imagery is astounding, and I love finding the little connections between everything.
The best part of the book for me was when they were at the Golden Day. It was just really funny the way the vets were calling mr. norton thomas jefferson and were using really sophisticated language. I want to know how the narrator is supposed to be mr. norton's fate and why mr. norton is so onterested in trueblood's story. I think that the letters mr. bledsoe are probably going to hurt the narrator more than they will help him.
Ashley again
I figured out a better wording to get across the incest topic: I was impressed the Ellison was daring and confident enough to cross the taboo of incest, and use it in a deeper context than just "incest is bad, blah blah blah."
I love how Elison continually changes how whites and blacks are portrayed. In the first chapter, the whites are these bad men who make young black men fight each other and tease them with money, plus the fact that they are drunk and the stripper. However, in this same scene, the blacks, especailly the narrator, is innocent. He truly thinks the white men want to hear his speech. Then, the characterization of whites and blacks changes when we meet Jim Trueblood. Through his story the blacks are harsh and inforgiving, while the whites are kind and giving towards him and his family. One thing I noticed during my reading was the repitition of the color red. I know that Elison continually uses black and white, but I was wondering why red?
The part that hit me the most was during the Battle Royal. This scene highlighted to me what the racial tension of blacks and whites were back in the day. As they blindfolded the blacks and beat them for no reason was a part of their social racial tension. The blind folds kept the light from entering, from what i believe to be because the thought that if they didnt open their eyes everything would be okay. But when he stands back up to give his speech that shows how much he truly cares for his race and wants to make equallity fit in with responsibility.
One thing that really struck me was Mr. Norton. While reading I had interpreted his character as the ultimate ignorant, naiive, hear what you want to hear man. I thought that his reaction to Trueblood's incest was just shock, that he absolutely couldn't comprehend the idea that someone could do something so evil and survive. His quote "You have looked upon chaos and are not destroyed!" particularly drove this idea home for me. In the class discussion was the first time that I really got it though, that he wasn't the idealist, ignorant white man, but that he was shocked because he thought if he commited this act then surely everything would crumble around him. Then he sees Trueblood who is fine, even better than ever, and he can't believe it. This makes all the little comments like "his blue eyes blazing into the black face with something like envy" make perfect sense. He's jealous that Trueblood did it and he didn't! Yuck.
I was kind of weirded out by the opening battle royal and what followed. I'll be honest: I watch fights all the time for entertainment, but this wasn't fighting. This was just to make the blacks fit into the stereotype the whites had built for them, and by fighting the blacks fell right into it. They went for fake money on an electrified rug, purposely hurting themselves for a few dollars; it was pathetic. Yes, the whites were definitely in the wrong by setting this up, but I don't think the blacks should have participated, either. But then again, if the narrator hadn't, we wouldn't have a story, would we?
Well I was definately freaked out by the battle royal. I thought these people were the respectable people of the town. I think he even mentions the priest or preacher was there? I was shocked when this naked lady just randomly starts prancing around the room, and these boys were forced on to an electric rug. The whole time I was expecting him to hate these people, but in the end all he wants to do is make them happy.
Another thing that confused me was why Mr. Norton was so jealous over Trueblood. I'm assuming we'll find out something about he and his daughter later because I felt that it was obviously akward the way he responded.
So far I'm really enoying the novel and Ellison's constant implementation of symbols. The scene that has stood out to me above the rest is definately the battle royal fight. Before we discussed it in class, I had no idea what the blonde woman represented, but I did know Ellison placed her in the ring for a reason. I was appalled by the narrator's graphic description of the woman, but after I realized that she signified freedom and liberty- what the blacks could only see and not have- I comprehended the use of vivid imagery. Also in this scene, the black boys were blindfolded with white cloth before fighting. I thought this was ironic because it is the white men that are incapable of seeing the blacks as individual people, instead of a barbaric race. I think there are many images and examples of blindness in the first six chapters in order to show the invisible man's struggle to find his identity in a blind society. I'm guessing this will continue throughout the remainder of the work.
- i forgot about this week's blog until just now; oops
When I first got to the part about the IM & Mr. Norton riding around, I thought it would be incredibly boring and just drag on. After Trueblood is introduced the entire thing seemed weird to me. Maybe I haven't read far enough or just don't get why he would include him. It could be because that just grosses me out. Whatever it is, I think Trueblood's account of the incident is so so so disturbing. I don't really see how he could justify what he did by saying it was "a dream".
As I scrolled through the comments, I noticed that the Battle Royal was one of the most popular subjects. I am not surprised. This scene has stuck with me throughout the book. When I first read the events, I was totally in shock. Of course I had read about the harsh treatment of African Americans, but to hear it described firsthand in such a true light was shocking. I think that this scene is absolutely vital to the meaning of the book. Without this treatment and horrible experience, the main character would never learn the true validity of his grandfather's words and his condition.
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