- 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
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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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67 comments:
At the very end of chapter nine the invisible man is starting to figure out that things aren't what they seem. One of the first things that relates to him and people like him is the tune the man is humming on the bus. The tune is about the robin who is getting picked clean by everyone. The invisible man can relate to this robin because he feels like he is always used and picked at when he never really did anything wrong.
Later in the paragraph he says,"Everyone seemed to have some plan for me, and beneath that some more secret plan." He sees that he is living his life for the important white people, and he is starting to realize that white people are using him. He even asks, "Who was I anyway?" I think this is the first time his identity is being challenged and he is starting to see things a little more for how they really are.
First of all i know throughout the book the whole thing is like one giant symbol for everything. but when i read chapter ten i was like holy cow this was just so obvious. i mean the narrator was adding a dark chemical ingrediant and it just makes it white and mixes in with the paint, almost like his grandfasther had told his father about becoming them. and when the narrator found out what the letters actually sadi i was surprised cause i figured the college would actually want him to begin work up there. i was also surprised when Mr. Emersons son secured him, the narrator, a job despite the letter. it made me think that at least there are a few good people back then and not all of them hated the african american race and not all of them treated them horribly.
While many of the narrator's actions in these chapters illustrate his naiveness, he is beginning to realize that the world is not always what it appears to be. His over-hopefullness is beginning to fade away, and he is starting to wake up from the "dream" of a discriminating-free New York. The scene that stuck out the most to me is when the invisble man comes upon Peter Wheatstraw. Even this grubby lunatic has enough sense to comprehend the necessity of change. He states, " There's a day's work right here in this stuff. Folks always making plans and changing them." When the narrator says that a person always needs to stick to the original plan and that change is a mistake, Wheatstraw gives him a grave stare and calls him young. After the two depart from each other, the narrator contemplates on Peter Wheatstraw and his thoughts become confused. This signifies that he is beginning to use his own reason, instead of what his environment believes, to deduct conclusions concerning his race and identity. It forshadows his own change.
One thing that really stuck out to my in reading the assigned chapters was the signs of the narrators "invisibilty" in society. First the vet tells him that he's "hidden right out in the open"and that he can make it so that no one notices him in order to get by. Then, when he goes to talk to Mr. Emerson, the son makes the comment "Who has an identity anymore anyway?", which shows his belief that everyone is becoming the same and uniform, i think. Next, The doctors discuss his fate while he is removed and ignored in a box, cut off from everyone else. And after that, he realizes that he can't even remeber his name, which leads him to become obsessed with the idea of identity. All of these things work together to suggest the narrators idea proposed in the prolouge of invisibility. By the end of chapter twelve, the reader can see his changing attitude towards the idea when he says that he has developed "an obsession with my identity".
Also, on another train of thought, I really like Mary's character. Is it possible that her name is a reference to the Virgin NMary? Anyway, I really like what she said about the narrator hoping to "be a credit to the race". In return, she says, "Don't hope, make it that way". I really like this quote because it shows a positive push for him to do great things and not give in to inequality. It can really apply to anyone in any circumstance and is very good advice.
A lot of people have expressed their opinion that the guy with the blueprints in the beginning of chapter 9 is a representation of the narrator's past. But I think he could actually be pointing towards the narrator's future. When he tells the narrator about changing plans, the narrator says, "You have to stick to the plan." I think part of the reason that the narrator is so hell-bent on becoming the next Dr. Bledsoe despite the evidence of corruption before his eyes is that he doesn't even realize that he has other options. He doesn't realize that he doesn't have to follow the rules of the game society has set for him. The guy with the blueprints says, "Folks is always making plans and changing 'em." I thought this implied that nothing is set in stone, and you don't have to play by the rules just because they tell you to. In a way, the blueprint man is suggesting the possible change of mindset for the narrator.
Hey, Mrs. Charbonnet, that post up with the name "sakura" is actually me. I have two gmail accounts, and I was accidentally signed into the wrong one.
- Yiyi
I have loved reading this part of the book because it's in New York City, where I used to live (:
I am so frustrated and annoyed that the narrator is so trusting of Dr. Bledsoe. IM is really just so naive and ignorant of what is right in front of him; he just doesn't get it. I am severly hoping that he snaps out of this. In the beginnning of the novel, he talked about how white people are "sleepwalkers" and refuse to acknowledge what is right in front of them. Well, I think that IM is also a sleepwalker, and he really needs to wake up from this coma.
I thought the paint factory was really interesting for some reason, and I forgot I was reading this book for English class for those chapters.
I am confused, however, on if the narrator actually did get a lobotomy or not, so if someone could fill me in on that, that'd be great (:
In the beginning of chapter 7, the vet says something kind of funny, "Cured? There is no cure." I believe he means a cure for being black and "playing the game." He means they will always be playing this game of whites think they are in control, but really it the black race. In chapter 8 , there is a reference to the Statue of Liberty. This is another allusion symbolizing freedom, like the American flag tattoo on the naked woman. In chapter 9, it hints that the young Mr. Emerson is gay. For example, "... moving with a long hip- swinging stride..." and "...touching my knee lightly..." I also started to underline references to the word white. This uses the word "white" a lot.
Chapter 9 made me mad. Bledsoe filled the narrator's head with all this hope that he could return to the school, but it was all a lie. Now the narrator has to abandon his precious plan to become just like Bledsoe. I think that he begins to realize in this moment that the only person he can completely trust is himself. He's beginning to see that liberty will not be handed to him. He will have to fight for it, and "play the game in his own way".
Also, what was with the electrocution scene at the hospital? He was like a lab rat, and the doctors barely saw him as human. Maybe, this symbolizes that white people in the North were just as racist as those in the South, only in different ways.
I agree with "chanbear". I have noticed that he is obvious about his symbolism but chapter 10 was COMPLETELY obvious. It was like everything he said made sense in that chapter and it seemed to bring the novel into focus for me. I also preffered these chapters to the first six because he finally finds out what kind of world he has put himself in. When he finally got away from the school, that veil was lifted for him and he saw how incredibly cruel Dr. Bledsoe really is.
I really liked the character of Peter Wheatstraw. I interpreted the blueprints as failed plans that he carries around with him at all times. Wheatstraw is the exact opposite of what the Invisible Man wants to be like. He wants to be powerful and successful, and Wheatstraw epitomizes the past and failed plans. The Invisible Man believes that you have to have a plan in order to be successful in life, and the character of Wheatstraw tries to show him otherwise.
As we see the narrator step off the train to Harlem, having just ignored the veteran's ranting, we can easily predict his plans are destined to fail. Something in his optimism and plans to conform scream to the reader that his experiences in Harlem will not go as smoothly as he hopes. It is important to keep in mind the fact that the story is being told in retrospect and that we know his current status of hole dweller and electricity leech. He uses a notably sarcastic tone as he reflects on his thoughts of being a well deodorized and groomed businessman. Only later, when he discovers the contents of Bledsoe's letters, does the narrator begin to realize the futility of trying to gain respect and power in the white's world.
In these chapters the Invisible Man finally realizes that in both races there are those people who are horrible. The stupid letters that harm him, and the harsh reality of rejection are two things that can really happen to anyone. He's interested in Harlem because that's what he wants to be. He wants to be accepted, and he is in Harlem.
I think chapter nine might have been the awakening that the narrorator needed in order to really achieve the success he wants. The fact that he finally knows that people in power, like Dr. Bledsoe, don't want him to succeed, will help him to be smarter about who he trusts and not just look at what's on the surface. He might actually take the vets advice and play the game his own way rather than being the white mans fool. Hopefully he really learned his lesson this time and won't just rationalize what happened like he did when he was kicked out of the school. I also don't understand the point behind the electroshock therapy. Did they think he had gone crazy? That's usaully the only reason such methods are used. Maybe he was experiencing what the vet said might happen when he played the game by his own rules.
My favorite part about this section of the book is probably Peter Wheatstraw and his blueprints. I think that Wheatstraw is everything IM is trying to avoid. He has few plans and those he does have are apt to change at any time, he is carefree and casually dressed. In contrast, IM feels that plans are meant to be made and followed carefully, detours are not acceptable.
Mrs. Charbonnet said that Ellison was very obvious with his allusions and symbols, but I didn't believe how obvious he actually was until I read the Liberty Paint scene. How much more obvious can Ellison get? When mixing in the black chemicals, IM is the only one that sees the grey tint in the optic white paint. His supervisor, Mr. Kimbro, says that the paint is perfect, "That's how it oughta be." He is blind to the fact that IM and the black race are slowly advancing and breaking through the white control barrier.
I'm amazed by how much symbolism Ellison is able to tie into the novel without making it sound swollen or overflown. Then he is able to relate each symbol to each other. He references elements of freedom (i.e. Liberty Paints, Statue of Liberty) but correlates the image with a veil or covering. The ability of Optic White to "cover anything" is so blatantly obvious as far as meaning, yet it flows with the structure of the novel in a way to not interfere with the reader's perception. Ellison is a master of metaphor and symbolism and there will no doubt be a continued motif involving blindness and liberty.
Right now to the invisible man ignorance is bliss as stated in class yesterday. This is shown through how tightly he clings to his brief case. The brief case symbolizes the past and everything that has gone wrong because white men have planned his life for him. Yet he still wants to hold on to that and everything that goes along with it. Also, the seven letters he receives are not what he ignorantly believes they are. If he really believed what was right in front of him he would have seen that the man kicking him out is giving him letters of recommendations. It's a bit odd that he would not think twice about getting other recommendations also. I think he is starting to emerge from this state of ignorance towards the end of these chapters but is not quite there yet.
Mr. Bledsoe's letter made me so angry and amazed at how someone could be so evil. It is ironic how the letter is so eloquently written and signed "Respectfully, I am your humble servant,"--as if there was anything respectable or humble about him! This letter was definitely not a surprise, but before reading it, I didn't realize the extent of what was going on. It is appalling that the college that is supposed to be helping the black people has no greater purpose than to simply keep their hopes up and keep them reaching blindly for something they can never have. I was so happy that the narrator was finally forced to look at the corruption that he had refused to see before. Slowly but surely, he is being forced out of his naivety!
Chapters 7-12 show struggles of the narrator in his attempt to get a job, but in a more figurative sense, to find himself. We finally got to see the true hardships of the invisible man away from the safe environment of the heavily white influenced college. Harlem put our narrator into a new context and surrounded him with a plethora of black men attempting to stand apart from the white men. This new sense that freedom was more available here scared the narrator. Freedom was something he had inevitably always wanted, but also something he was afraid to go out and get. He was told his whole life to be submissive to the demands of the white man and this sudden reversal of that sends him spinning into confusion. In addition, these chapters are full of symbolism, including the paint. I think the paint is the most important symbol because it shows that the white men are oblivious to the attempts of the black man and their ultimate feeling of superiority. The narrator is struggling within himself as to whether or not to join in with the black riots against the whites or to continue on following the advice of his grandfather.
At the end of Chapter 10, the Invisible Man finally takes a stand for himself. When Mr. Brockway started flipping out on him for accidently walking into a union meeting, he tries to kick him out and threatens to kill the IM. The IM wrestles with himself thinking that he has been "trained" to accept things like this but something "uncolied" and he started yelling back at the old man and even turns physical. I was cheering the IM and I was excited to see him make his own decision for once. I think this is a turning point in his quest for idenity. He is slowly starting to realize that the ways he was taught, are not the right ways. He is starting to take a stand for his own rights and hopefully he will continue to do so.
As I states in class, I believe that the bloody saliva falling on the brief case was symbolic of the narrator's carelessness. Though I do not believe it is the most important symbol in the book, largely because the book is supposed to be much bigger than just the invisible man, I still think it is an important foreshadowing and a hint to the events in the book. The carelessness represented in that scene was his first act of foolishness which would soon be followed by many. His poor decisions while driving Mr. Norton and his trust in the letters are only two of many examples. I believe his carelessness will end and he will have better fortune when he doesn't care about the briefcase that his saliva fell on. That is, when he doesn't care about appearances and kissing up to white people. I believe that has started with his first radical action against Mr. Brockway and will continue through the book.
In line with what harry said about the book being more than just about the invisible man, I believe the novel is inching closer and closer to another symbol. Maybe that is why he uses an invisible man with no name as the main character and protagonist. Ellison wants us to see through him to a much broader picture he pointing; the invisible man in just a vehicle in which we see it, like a spyglass or lens. The book seems to be concentrating on his surroundings representing the world in a new light. I notice more and more the connections between symbols and wrongs of this society the man is trapped in. The book is about how this society is evolving and changing the invisible man. If he does not conform to the will of this immovable society, there can be only two outcomes. He changes everything and overcomes the tyranny, or he will fall victim to it and lose himself in an unforgiving world.
I noticed that throughout the novel, the narrator had been asked what his name was once or twice, and he "told them" what his name was without directly telling the audience. But, after he found himself in the hospital, I found things most interesting when he could not even remember his own name. The narrator struggled to remember his identity, and still could remember nothing. When he was searching the depths of his mind, he kept refering to his mind as a blackness. I thought this could represent his attitude and extreme distaste for society after finding out Bledsoe's thoughts of him and murder attempt by Brockway. He is later told reminded of his name by a doctor at the hospital, and he says "Oh!" as "a pain stabbed through my head..." It seems at this point he is almost completely invisible, as it pains him to even remember or hear his own name.
I like how everything can be seen as more than just what it is. At the beginning of the novel I thought that some of the symbols were kind of hard to see at first, but through chapter 12 I see that some of the things are plain in sight. The many references to the black being mixed with the white is the whole conflict in the novel. I think the narrator is almost being punished for continuing to not stand up for himself as he continues to follow the rules of others. He is blinded by the truth of things, and this catches up to him. After the accident, he not only does not know his name, but he in fact has no idea who he truly is. He is not only invisible to his superiors, but he is now invisible to himself. I think the narrator will be learning a lot about himself and others in the future.
something that really stood out to me was the crazy dude with the blueprints. i thought he was really funny and probobly there to add some aspect of comedy to those chapters. when IM says that you have to stick to the plan and the guy tells him he's young, i totally agreed. i felt like IM should just grow up and stop being so niave about (seemingly) everything and i was glad someone finally said it. also at the paint factory, along with all the symbolism that everyone else has said, i just thought it was written very well and really descriptive. it stood out to me, even from the rest of the book.
One of the things that stands out to me is the Optic White paint. A lot of different things about this reference grabbed my attention. First of all, the slogan is, "If it's Optic White, it's the right white." Before this, there is really no mention of right or wrong "white." Also, Brockway says it can cover a lump of coal so well that he would have to break it apart to see the black inside. So, is the right kind of white the kind that completely engulfs all other colors instead of embracing them? I think not.
One of the most interesting parts in these chapters deals with the after effects of the machine explosion. Because of the physical, emotional, and mental damage inflicted upon the IM after the explosion, he has ultimately been seperated from his old self. The explosion has severed the part of him that craves acceptance from others. We can already tell that he has begun to remove himself from society in these chapters. Another intersting thing is the mystery that the reader is not exactly sure of the damages that the IM's body has undergone. Ellison remains quiet about that. He seems to focus only on mental damage.
I feel so bad for the narrator when he leaves the school for New York. He still truly sees the good in people, thinking that Dr. Bledsoe is trying to help him. However, after Mr. Emerson shows him Dr. Bledsoe's true intentions, his view of the world somewhat changes. He realizes it does not matter how hard-working and sincere you are, most of the time people cheat and lie their way to the top. This is way he lies to get the job at the paint factory. My favorite part of these chapters was teh symbolism of the fog with the Statue of Liberty. For the Invisible Man, freedom is still so far off it is in a fog. Something he can see, but cannot achieve.
I already mentioned this in class at one point today, but i thought it was extremely interesting the narrator was hearing Beethoven's 5th. Although its a rather familiar tune that most people can quickly recognize, i thought it was a weird choice of music. Since he was kind of re awakening he didn't really know who he was and the song showed that he was trying hard to identify himself, like he was on the edge of figuring it out and couldn't quite reach it since the song only played the first 3 notes which is also interesting that he was able to figure out the song from just those notes. It shows that he is so stuck in trying to be of the classical high class society of whites that he immediately can identify to that type of song. I think music says a lot about a person and just the fact that hes got this particular tune stuck in his time of reawakening show that he may be stuck forever. It will always be a constant battle for him.
As the narrator goes to New York, I find myself hoping that maybe he'll realize his nativity and open one of the letters. Alas, I was disappointed. It amazed me how ignorant a person can be; he was so trusting in Dr. Bledsoe, even though he was a horrible man. I felt so bad for the narrator when the young Mr. Emerson made him read the letter in his office; I had hoped that he not find out that way. However, maybe he FINALLY would gain some understanding of the predicament he was in; maybe he would stop being so naive and understand the vet's advice to step out of the fog.
I loved the symbolism with the white paint mixed with a bit of black paint. It was the best symbol so far because it showed the way the white society just overwhelmed the black society and it stood for the narrator's urge to immerse himself into white society. Hopefully as the novel goes on, he will continue to step out of his ignorant stage and become his own person, not following another.
The thing that stood out to me as the most significant source of symbols and irony was the paint factory. Besides the symbols discussed in class, one thing that seemed important was the mistake about the black dope. Instead of making the white whiter, the one the narrator finds is concentrated remover. It strips the paint of its whiteness. This symbolizes the two paths the narrator has to choose from. In his naive state, he cannot see the difference in these paths until he reaches the end result, just as the cannot tell the difference in the dope and the remover until the paint is already destroyed. Mr. Kimbro, however, sees this difference and is appalled that the narrator cannot, which is ironic because only the narrator can see the gray tinge of the paint. Mr. Kimbro tells the narrator to ask someone next time, which shows how the narrator is forced to follow the will of others, never his own. Either he can reinforce the white roles in society, like the black dope, or tear apart the established roles in order to break through the barrier, like the remover. He ultimately has to decide this fate himself. Also, the black substance that makes the paint whiter is called dope, which can mean a stupid person, private information, or the making up of a plan. This reinforces the thoughts that the path the narrator has been on where he upholds the white ideas is stupid, or wrong. The other meanings shed light on the symbol of the gray tinge. It shows the private plan of the blacks to wait until the right moment and "overthrow" the whites. They refuse to be "dopes" and be manipulated forever by the whites and their ideas. However, only the narrator can see this, the whites cannot.
It seems to me that, at this point in the novel, the narroator is totally oblivious to what is truly occurring within his life. "Ignorance is bliss." Even after discovering that, essentially, Dr. Bledsoe 'sold him out,' the narrator still wants to return to the college and be Dr. Bledsoe's assistant. This is crazy to me.
I also want to note on one other item concerning the 'seven letters.' The number seven is considered, by some, to be a lucky number. I think it is ironic that these seven letters contain the true feelings of Dr. Bledsoe, and it is especially ironic that the narrator discovered these feelings from the seventh letter. This seventh letter has, essenitally, created bad luck for the narrator.
I think that these chapters of invisible man are the beginnings of how he feels invisible. more and more, the narrator experiences betrayal, hatred, and oppression from not only whites, but blacks too. I think that the key person that helps the narrator realize this is the young Mr. Emerson. Although he is kind to the narrator, he reveals Dr. Bledsoe's true intentions, which are similar to those of many other people, black and white. The point in the hospital when the narrator no longer remembers his name marks his ultimate realization, that he is not seen for who he is, and is to some extent invisible to other people and maybe even himself.
The Liberty Paint scene is one of my favorite scenes. One of the main things that stands out to me is the mentioning of "Optic White". Though the white paint was mixed with black it wasn't really known. This is because when black was added to white it becomes invisible. But when IM shows the sample to Kimbro IM sees a gray tent appear, yet he seemed to be the only one to detect it. With Kimbro not seeing the gray it seems to be just a proof that whites never looked past the surface to judge someone. But as for IM it shows how he has progressed with his own identity which hopefully with satisfy him in the end.
At the beginning of chapter seven, the narrator encounters the vet on the bus. I think the vet is an important character in the novel even though he as only appeared twice. He says things other blacks wouldn't dare say and goes against what blacks expected to do. So far the vet is the only character that is "free" and sees things for what they really are. Ironically, he is being further transported to D.C. where he will only be further restrained by another asylum. Although he is actually imprisoned by the asylum, he is free in the sense that he lives his life not according to the way society would have him live it. The vet has been wanted to relocate for a long time, and finally he achieves his goal.
The narrator comments in chapter ten, "I looked at the painted slab. It appeared the same: a gray tinge glowed through the whiteness, and Kimbro had failed to detect it." I believe that this statement, added along with the ten drops of black liquid added to the paint to make it "optic white," is one of the, if not the, most important statements in the novel so far. Ellison is literally spelling it out in black and white (pun?) for the reader. The black citizens in society are obviously there. They build the foundations of many of the work forces. Their work, symbolized in the black drops, helps make the whites more powerful. However, it doesn't matter how much they work and work to strive for equality, the white man still oppresses them time after time again, which is why the paint turns the whitest shade imaginable, leaving no trace of the blackness added to it. The narrator can see this wrongdoing, as he notices the gray tinge to the white paint, but Kimbro, the large and in-charge white man, fails to see how he and so many other white men smother the black people, thus accepting the paint as premium white paint.
I just don't see how IM resisted the temptation to open the letters. It was really nice of Mr. Ellison's son to clue him in, but I don't know if he wasn't trying to get something for himself or if he was just being compassionate. The narrarator is so ignorant and trusting to every white person despite everyone's warnings. He seems like he 'knows it all' and he isn't truly living his life for his own purpose, but for the purpose of the white people.
After the explosion with the paint in the factory, the Invisible Man loses consciousness, and somehow ends up in the factory's hospital in some weird, glass box thing. He then loses his identity as well. He can't remember who he is, and this symbolizes, in my opinion, the fact that he's losing himself along his journey of gaining an education and actually finding himself. He loses his original purpose, and he forgets that he is supposed to be undermining the white race while blending in, not the other way around. This also reminds me about Peter Wheatstraw's advice to the IM;plans have to be changed. One would be naive if he thought that they didn't. I just think that the Invisible Man is losing too much of himself in the process, and he's losing his own identity when he's supposed to be trying to make others forget him.
I loved reading these chapters because they developed the story so quickly. The hospital scene is just truly well written. I found it interesting when the doctors overlook the narrator and discuss castration. At first, I thought they were being sick and twisted. I thought that it was symbolizing the white man's overall thirst for blood. However, I thought it seemed to parallel to the Founder's incident causing him to be sterile. I believe this is a way that Ellison is showing us,the reader, that the narrator is progressing from his first stage and becoming a new man.
I like how everything has a specific meaning and there are symbols everywhere in the story. Some of the symbols are starting to become very obvious. The symbol I think is important is the fog. I think it is most important when it covers the Liberty Paints and the Statue of Liberty. It's like the fog is telling the IM that his future is never going to be clear to him if he keeps trying to be something he is not. Fog always has the possiblity of clearing, but for the narrator, I think his life is always going to be foggy in a sense.
I'm really starting to get into this book. I love symbolism, even if I am not the greatest at finding it, and this book is obviously full of symbols. Going back to our class discussion, I honestly do not think the young Mr. Emerson is gay. He cares about what he looks like, as most businessmen do. The main character made sure he looked perfect for his interviews. Since he is struggling with a fight with his father, looking nice for his work might be the only thing he has for himself. And is it hard to believe that someone could feel bad for a complete stranger? He was being nice and trying to be informal with the narrator, he just wanted to help him. I just think that Ellison would have been blunt about it and told the reader straight-forward that he was gay. But, it's just my opinion.
These chapters start to reveal the fact that not all dreams come true. The narrator throws everything he has into his dreams. He does all he can to achieve his goals but does not set up an alternative. When his plans fail, such as those of becoming Dr. Bledsoe's assistant, he has no idea of what to do. He has to somewhat start over. This goes along with the blueprints that Peter Wheatstraw is throwing out. Plans are continuously made and broken, so there always needs to be room for new ones. The narrator soon finds out that his plans will be forever changing after his new job is a failure, and he must start over once again.
Like some of the other comments, I agree that it is annoying to see the narrator's blindness to Mr. Bledsoe's true character continue to the extent it does in these chapters. Dr. Bledsoe leads him to New York, allowing him to have such high aspirations, while all along he was planning his downfall.
In a sense, I believe that the narrator himself is a contribution to the "fog" infestation in NYC. Dr. Bledsoe has shown his true colors; however, the narrator refuses to believe what he sees and hears and instead turns a blind eye to the confrontation they had. Until he reads the letter and sees that Mr. Bledsoe is his downfall and he would not be a factor in his success (if he ever achieves it). Overall, I look forward to finishing up the next series of chapters because I believe that narrator will slowly but sure gain more and more clarity in respect to his entire situation as each event unfolds...
At the beginning of chapter seven, my favorite character, the vet, is reintroduced. His views and commentary of the true reality is something I love. He doesn't beat around the bush; he just comes right out and says it. Also, throughout this passage, like many of the earlier posts, is chock full of symbols. From the black paint drops into the white paint, to the union there is a symbol on every page. Most of them stand for the hipocracy of the time and the school, and the blindness of the narrator.
The main thing that bothered me is that the narrator was blind to all of the signs that Bledsoe was not who he appeared to be. He doesn't see that the man who kicked him out of school, not before calling him a heinous name, would not allow him back into the school.
I think one really interesting thing from the chapters is the optic white paint scene. You have to have the black in the white paint in order for the white to appear brighter than before. If there were no black people in the world, then the white people wouldn't have any reason to think that they were better than anyone. They'd all be the same. In this way, the black people (the black paint) are needed so that the white people can feel superior.
I completely agree with Leah! I would hate to be stuck in a foreign city with little money and no plans. Poor narrator..
My favorite part of these chapters was the scene where the boiler explodes & the scene where the narrator and the old man get into a fight. It had a lot of action and caught my attention. The way he lost his temper and stuck up for himself sort of represented a new identity for him. He's finally able to say what he wants with dignity (even if he regrets it later on) and is starting to figure out who he really is. The explosion represents a new start for him, "a wet blast of black emptiness that was somehow a bath of whiteness" (230). The whiteness represents a change, a fresh start almost, so that he can find his identity. Also, knowing that you can't trust everyone (ie Dr. Bledsoe) will help him to put up a front around people and carry out his grandfather's advice. All of chapter 10 seems to be leading up to a large change in the narrator's actions and personality, and I have a feeling that in the next readings he'll have some more dignity to stick up for himself.
This part of the novel takes place in New York, where the narrator meets a very unorthodox character, Peter Wheatstraw. Peter Wheatstraw happens to be carrying numerous blueprints that had been thrown away because they had changed and become obsolete. This stood out to me because I think they represent how the whites in the narrator's time period constantly change the rules and plans for the black in order to maintain in power over them as the adapt to the previous rules by learning. This shows that the whites will always be one step ahead of the blacks, who will always be subjected to racial criticism not matter where they live.
I love the hospital scene where the invisble man is metaphorically "reborn". He realizes he can't trust everybody after getting screwed over in the hospital. When he goes home on the subway he sees a blonde woman eating a red delicious apple. This reminded me of eve in the garden of eden. The invisible man has bitten from the forbidden fruit and his eyes are finally opened! I noticed the symbol of the red apple also shows up when the IM is talking to Tureblood, he notices a tiny red apple carved from tin on the ground. It kind of goes along with the whole "forbidden fruit idea", but its ironic because Trubelood is still as ignorant as ever.
My thoughs on the novel from this section we've read have varied. But what sticks out most is the how igmnorant the invisible man is. He thinks everyone is trying to help him and he only see's the good in people. He doesn't see his mistakes or when people are tricking him. But the fact that bledsoe would send him on a wild goose chase like he has with the letters angers me. How could someone be that cruel to a person and then on top of it give him letters to give to college/high class business man that will completely destroy any chance of getting a job. I hope Bledsoe has something bad happen to him for the way he has treated the invisible man.
These chapters show little shift in who the invisible man is. His first move to Harlem portrays a kind of haven for blacks, but his job at the paint factory still holds white as supremity. Also, Bledsoe has sabatouged his efforts, keeping the invisible man in a state of ignorance.
Well in these chapters, I found out that I was right about my thoughts about the letters. I was also expecting for bad things to happen to him while he was in Harlem. Since he's been in Harlem, he has slowly began to turn into the man we see in the prologue so we can tell it will only get worse. On the other hand, I like the woman he lives with and I think that she could be a good element in helping him find an identity if he would only allow it.
Although everyone is giving deep explanations, I'd like to point out how classy Ellison makes Peter Wheatstraw. To me, his description is humorous. He is singing a very weird song depicting a woman with feet like a monkey and legs like a frog--that would freak out any unsuspecting listener. He jokes around with the narrator asking him about a dog the IM knows nothing about. He also calls the narrator, a stranger to him, "daddy-o." He's a very easy-going guy, and even gets a smile out of the narrator. Although there is more meaning behind him (the blueprints he has), I like how hilarious Ralph Ellison makes the surface.
Just like everyone else, I am shocked to look back and realize how obvious Ellison's symbolism and allusions are. It seems as though everything around the narrator will hurt him in the future.
Although the narrator is beginning to see the differences between white and black, he still hasn't gotten the full picture. It is as though, depsite all the hard times and problems that he is going through because he is trying so hard to fit in, he continues to believe that he is just like the whites. It seems as though the whites will never accept him and that he will never understand that.
I think that the part of the novel that starts to define IM, is when he arrives in Harlem. I think that his shock, at how black people had so many freedoms, makes him realize how closed off he he was when he was at home and at school. All of the black and white imagery seems to stand out in whatever he does and wherever he goes. Ellison uses this section of the novel to start breaking down IM, to where he is even more human.
I particularly enjoyed this set of chapter, because I finally got to see the narrator make a change for the better. I do not remember if anyone picked up on this during the class discussion, but while the narrator was in the hospital and heard the cries of a woman, I thought these cries could possibly be like the screams of a woman in labor. With this happening why he is in the hospital, it is as if the narrator is going through a rebirth. I also found it interesting how Ellison described the vibrant white paint at the Liberty Paints Company. It is amazing how he explains how no matter how dark any substance could possibly be, it can always be covered up by a thin layer of white.
These chapters were the wierdest by far. Like when the narrator went to meet Mr. Emerson and it turns out that he meets Emerson's gay son. It never even crossed my mind that he was gay until we talked about it in class. Then there was the part in the paint factory when he fights some old man with false teeth. I thought it was pretty funny how the narrator knocked his teeth out because he thought the dude was stabbing him with a knife when he was really biting him. Then there was the whole part when he was in a daze in the hospital. I couldn't figure out what had happened to him. I guess one of the boilers blew up and some how he ended up unconsious in a hospital. I also couldn't figure out why he was in that box. It seemed kind of unnecessary to me. Then like everyone else said the symbolism of the paint and everything was completely obvious. The best part of this section was the guy who calls the narrator "daddy-o." I almost died laughing. I think I'll start calling everyone daddy-o from now on.
One of the motiffs that ellison uses in this book is the contrasting colors of white and black. This is especially apparent when the narrator is at the paint factory. The factory prides itself on the "purest" white paint around. They say that this "optic white" paint can cover up anything. In the factory, white is good because that is the main color they make, just as the narrator at this time believes "white is right". The optic white begins to cover him and his true identity can no longer be seen. I believe this is how he becomes an invisible man.
I want to mention the Liberty Paint Company. It is an extended metaphor the author uses to show that the blacks in the North were really not better off socially. Although economic opportunity was better, it did not equate to social and civil equality (Booker T. Washington's theory). More specifically, the optic white paint is also symbolic. The narrator must add black drops to the paint and it makes it whiter. This represents that whites derived their power from suppressing blacks. It is the idea that one group cannot build themselves up (whites) without breaking another group down (blacks).
*It's Ashley, again...
The young Mr. Emerson was the excact opposite physically of our narrator, but in all other aspects he was figuratively the same. Mr. Emerson is a white man with a cushy job, so he should be wealthy and content, right? Wrong. Our narrative is an obviously unhappy, disillusioned black man trying to start his life over from scratch. It's unsurprising that our narrator has a huge mountain of obstacles facing him, but for the first time Ellison shows a white man struggling to break free of restrictive barriers as well. If Mr. Emerson is gay or not is irrelevant to the point Ellison is making by comparing and contrasting the two characters. He wants to show how, despite status and stereotypical perceptions, both whites and blacks were unable to break through their glass ceilings. Our narrator's problem is apparent through his physical appearance (he's black), while Mr. Emerson is stuck in his father's control because his father fears that his son's revelation will leave a black mark on his own name, since it would embarass him and perhaps hurt his business.
“Our white is so white you can paint a chunka coal and you'd have to crack it open with a sledge hammer to prove it wasn't white clear through."
When I was reading in chapter 10, this quote really jumped out at me. Knowing the title of the book is INVISIBLE Man, It occurred to me that this quote clearly defined the point that the narrator was trying to prove. No matter how hard the black people tried to gain acknowledgment from the white society, it seemed as if the white people persistently barricaded them out of their "comfort circle" When the quote states "our white is so white", it talks about the Liberty Paint's optic white paint. This is a symbol of the black people trying to blend in with the white society, but the "whiteness" of the white men and women makes the black(paint and men) seem invisible.
Again, I have to point out that I love the way Ellison describes scenery and internal emotions. It can be so simplistic but yet so beautiful. One detail that sticks out to me the most is that Brockway was actually laughing at the fact that his precious basement was going to blow. Also there is the key detail that, of course, the white lever was the one that was supposed to "save them". Later on when the doctors were talking about the experiments with the brain and the personality changes it kind of reminded me of the Planet of the Apes where the apes were trying to keep the civilized white man ignorant by taking out part of his brain. Yeah.
I've got to admit, I really enjoy how obvious the symbolism is in here. Like the caged birds in Mr. Emerson's office that represent the black race. Like the birds are stuck in a cage in a white man's office, the black people are held captive in a white world. The window to the outside is within sight, but just out of reach. And similarly the success and freedom blacks yearn for is supposedly more accessable to them since they're in this school. However, the school is a cage itself--with black students the captives and white authority figures the guards.
Sometimes people who have birds as pets place a cloth or "veil" over the bird's cage to make them be quiet or go to sleep. This reminds me of the veil that is either coming on or off the student at the college. It could be used to metaphorically put the people to sleep. Or at least reduce them to a dream-like state of denial.
One thing that made me go "wow" was the fact that Ellison used the paint to make a connection between whites and black. I think that it shows how different whites and blacks are in society. But also, I think that in a way because the black didn't show in the white paint, the paint represents the way society is. Because society is too concerned about race, we tend to discriminate or make judgement upon people. I think that the paint/society is too caught up with the fact that they think "white is right." No one can be perfect but the whites think they know the answers, which is why they boss the blacks around. The invisible man is trying to be a bigger part of society, but because of this general rule, he dosen't get to achieve this goal--we know because of the prologue.
The "everything is a symbol" bit is starting to bother me. Oh, so is the "everything's extended family is a symbol as well" bit, too. Chapter ten was rather obvious as to what he was trying to say (optic white is right/white is right, "Liberty Paints" obscured by fog, a little bit of black stuff messes up the white paint, etc. etc. etc.).
Of course, there was the Dr. Bledsoe-is-a-mean-old-buttface stuff; honestly, I saw something like that coming, what with the way the narrator looked up to him and all. All great(?) men have their flaws. I'm expecting Jesus... erm... The Founder to have his fair share of not-so-cool history coming up soon as well.
I liked chapters 7-12 a lot better than I did the earlier chapters becasue I liked the characters more. I especially liked Broakaway because he is just so funny how defensive he is regardless of what the invisible man says. I also noticed a lot more symbols in these chapters than the others, even though im sure the count was probably about equal, these were just alot more obvious to me. Like at the paint factory with the sign and te paint itself and all of the people working there it was almost overwhelming just how many symbols there were. I just wished that the invisible man would just wake up! and realize how the world around him really is.
Okay, so my reactions to Invisible Man chapters 7 throgh 12. Well what I am thinking of now is more of a reaction to the book as a whole, so i'll go with that. This guy, the invisible man and narrator, is freakishly violent for someone who claims to be a pacifist. Well he doesn't claim to be a pacifist but that seems to be his general philosophy. Play the game, be sneaky, covert subordination, he says. But then why in all of his dreams, dillusions, and even in real life is he dreaming about beating up everybody. I think he must be much more violent than he realizes and that is why being invisible isn't working for him, it is causing him so much misery because he isn't that type. Deep down he must be the vet type, not the grandfather.
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