Symbols
Gender Roles
Allusions
Racism
Figures of Speech
100
This symbol represents the narrator’s bright future.
What is a briefcase?
100
The white men rely on these crutches to function throughout the story.
What is tobacco and whiskey?
100
The narrator likens himself to this other black author.
Who is Booker T. Washington?
100
The white men use this slur to refer to the narrator’s particular color.
What is ginger-colored?
100
This figure is used when the narrator says a whole century has passed since he fell on the rug.
What is hyperbole?
200
These items represent the idea that society continues to uphold oppressive conditions seen during slavery.
What are blindfolds?
200
The narrator compares the dancer to this animal.
What is bird-girl?
200
Where the narrator says he had to be nobody but himself but also an invisible man, he is recalling this author.
Who is DuBois?
200
This stereotype refers to a person of mixed race, namely black and Latino.
Who is Sambo?
200
A figure of speech used when the narrator says he rolled away as a football.
What is a simile?
300
This event symbolizes the idea of keeping black Americans oppressed.
What is Battle Royal?
300
A large black young man reacted in this way when he got an erection from the dancer.
What is he pleaded to go home?
300
The woman dancer with her “impersonal eyes” brings to mind which poet/poem.
What is Claude McKay’s “Harlem Dancer”?
300
The narrator tries to use this word in place of the expected word “responsibility” in his speech.
What is equality?
300
When he says the floor became impatient, this figure is used.
What is personification?
400
This symbolizes the narrator’s hope that he can finally improve his and his people’s condition.
What is the speech?
400
The merchant reacted this way to the dancing girl.
What is he followed her hungrily and drooled?
400
As grandfather says undermine ‘em with grins, agree ‘em to death,” he is bringing to mind this classic tale.
What is Trickster Tale of Br'er Rabbit?
400
The school superintendent uses this slur when he yells for the black men to be brought in to the smoker.
What is shines?
400
This figure is used when the M.C. says “he knows more big words than a pocket-sized dictionary.”
What is analogy?
500
The naked woman serves as this symbol for the black men.
What is fear and death?
500
Watching the dancer culminated into this reaction from the men.
What is they tossed the woman around in the air?
500
The narrator refers to this author when he says “cast down your bucket.”
Who is Booker T. Washington?
500
While the narrator makes his speech, the men react in this way.
What is they keep talking and laughing?
500
When he says the smoke became a knife, this figure is used.
What is metaphor?
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