Identity &
Invisibility
Invisibility
IM organizes the funeral without asking anyone in the Brotherhood for permission. What does this tell us about where he is in his personal growth?
It's the first time he acts on his own moral instincts rather than waiting for instructions. His loyalty to Clifton and the community is greater loyalty to the Brotherhood, showing IM taking a major step toward independence.
IM holds onto the Sambo doll after Clifton's death rather than throwing it away. What does his inability to discard it tell us about what the doll represents to him?
The doll is similar to the shackle and the coin back: it represents the stereotypes that he can never escape, while also serving as a reminder of the struggle of oppression which black people like him are fighting against. It is also a symbol of unresolved guilt and grief, as it is IM"s last reminder of Clifton and the pain of his final moments.
What role does the audience play in shaping the authenticity of the eulogy?
The crowd’s emotional engagement encourages the IM's authenticity. Their response suggests that genuine expression resonates more deeply than rehearsed political speech, leading IM to move away from his"scientific" speaking methods.
How does the funeral and collective expression of grief from the crowd contrast the “scientific” nature of the Brotherhood's events?
The Brotherhood often organizes scripted events but the funeral is a more off-the-cuff display of raw emotion, which is the antithesis of the Brotherhood's science.
What "invisible" aspects of the crowd does the singing of the spiritual hymn reveal?
It reveals the cultural identity which the Brotherhood tried hard to supress for the sake of their ideals ideals.
What does the Sambo doll and the invisible black string represent?
Black people appear to be moving/acting within society independantly, but their movements are secretly dictated by the "performer" which is white institutional power. Since this string is "invisible", the control is not always seen.
In what ways does is the funeral portrayed as both a performance and a moment of authenticity?
It is organized just like one of the performances the Brotherhood would organized, but the passion and emotion evoked by the crowd and IM's speech make it more authentic than performative
The funeral banners claimed that Clifton was "Our hope shot down" How did Clifton represent the hope of the community?
Clifton was in a position of power, and had potential to change. However his fall from grace and death symbolize how the most promising individuals can be broken by a system designed to dehumanize them.
The funeral banners, the spiritual, and the march were all created by the community, not the Brotherhood. What does the community's finding its own symbols and language tell us about its identity in relation to the institution?
The community is independent of the institutional control of the Brotherhood. While the Brotherhood tries to impose their beliefs on the Harlem community, they already have their own beliefs and culture which opposes the Brotherhood's science.
Compare IM's eulogy to his first speech at the battle royale. What are some of the main differences?
1. Battle Royale speech was meant to please and IM was seeking approval; in the eulogy IM intends to speak the truth
2. Power dynamic: IM is being controlled by the white audience at the Battle Royale speech, while at the funeral he is fully in control
3. IM is using his authentic voice at the eulogy, but at the Battle Royale he was performing a scripted speech
What fallacy of ideological performance does IM's eulogy expose.
Ideological performance erases the individuality and character of a person. Clifton became disillusioned with this erasure, which drives his decision to leave the Brotherhood.
Harlem community members show up to the Clifton's funeral even though it is not affiliated with the Brotherhood. What does their presence suggest about loyalty and community?
It shows that community bonds can outlast institutional ones. These men rejected the Brotherhood but not each other or Clifton. Real solidarity in the comes from shared experience/struggle, not a fake "brotherhood".
IM says he will never be able to ask Clifton why he sold the Sambo dolls. Why is he so deeply haunted by this realization?
Because Clifton's choice challenged everything Im believed about the Brotherhood. If IM could have heard from Clifton it might have helped him understand his own growing doubts, but the fact the IM is without that answer he is left alone with his uncertainty.
IM spits on the Sambo Doll in the previous Chapter, but in this chapter he puts it in his briefcase. This reversal reveals what shift in the IM understanding of himself and Clifton?
IM recognizes that he too has been a Sambo for the Brotherhood. The doll is now not a symbol of Clifton's disgrace but of his and IM's shared condition
IM starts his eulogy by telling the crowd to go home because he has nothing to say. How does this unprepared opening actually help his speech?
Because IM has nothing prepared, he has to speak honestly from his feelings. The rawness of IM's admission makes the crowd trust him and allows IM's speech to resonate with them , similar to how the crowd at the boxing arena became inspired by the candor of IM's speech
The old man's spontaneous singing of a slave spiritual interrupts the planned ceremony. What does this moment say about the significance of Black cultural expression and how does it contrast the Brotherhood's methodology
The spiritual carries collective memory, suffering, resilience, and unity. The song evokes authentic, emotional feelings which contrats with the scientific rhetoric of the Brotherhood.
In Chapter 21, IM considers his most impactful speech a "failure". What does this self-assessment reveal about how deeply the Brotherhood's definition of success has colonized his own judgment?
He cannot evaluate himself outside the Brotherhood's framework even when he is acting against it. The organization's criteria are so internalized that authentic human achievement registers to him as failure. His disillusionment is not yet complete.
How does Clifton’s death represent the systematic erasure of Black potential in America and expose the false promises of power for Black people within society?
1. Clifton had the illusion of power, and when that illusion faded he was forced to enact racial caricature; society does not view black people with humanity, but as manifestations of racial caricatures
2. Systemic forces and stereotypes serve to distort black potential within society, and ultimately force black people into roles which reinforce existing power structures rather than attain full humanity
3. The routes to power that are often portrayed for black people are often facades which leads to more control
By the end of Chapter 21, IM has more real influence in Harlem than the Brotherhood does yet he holds no official power. What argument does Ellison construct about the relationship between institutional authority and genuine power?
Institutional authority requires conformity and suppresses authenticity, but authenticity is what IM uses to garner his influence. The Brotherhood's organizational power in Harlem has collapsed precisely because it chose control over genuine community connection.
How does Chapter 21's critique of the Brotherhood reflect a broader argument Ellison makes about Black liberation through predominantly white-run organizations?
Predominantly white political organizations, however progressive their stated aims, will always subordinate Black liberation to their own institutional priorities when the two conflict.