Motifs
This man is part of the Brotherhood and also considered a parallel to Dr. Bledsoe
Brother Jack?
What themes do the hospital scene represent, and why are they significant?
Rebirth and identity
The Invisible Man is aware that blackness is a part of his identity, he’s just not sure how
The questions about black southern folklore such as Brer Rabbit makes the Invisible Man angry, but helps him focus his identity
Who is Rinehart and what does he represent?
He was a preacher and a gambler and represents ambiguity and the conception of identity. His identity completely changes based on who he is with and where he is. The invisible man was confused with Rinehart and the invisible man realizes Rinehart’s lifestyle evokes a sense of freedom.
True or False - The coin bank first appeared in Mary Rambo’s house
True! The bank first appeared in Mary Rambo’s house and the invisible man is offended by the stereotypical image it portrays of a distorted black man. However, it does not become symbolic until the narrator smashes the bank and keeps the fragmented pieces with him throughout the novel.
After receiving the briefcase, Invisible Man expresses what sorts of feelings regarding the gift, and how is this ironic considering the context in which he was given it?
He feels gratitude and is extremely thankful, and he even, “felt an importance that I had never dreamed.” This is ironic considering the men giving him this just degraded him for personal entertainment, forcing him to engage in a barbaric fight and then mocking him as he spoke, and yet he thanks them for their generosity.
The quote, “All ten of us climbed under the ropes and allowed ourselves to be blindfolded with broad bands of white cloth... now I felt a sudden fit of blind terror," best represents what motif?
This quote represents the motif of blindness. Blindness is a motif that is prevalent throughout the novel and is highlighted in the battle royale scene because of the senseless obedience. The white men spectate as the black men are physically blended with the clothes and the clothes represent an oblivion to racist acts.
In what ways does the Invisible Man allow his late grandfather to continue to influence him?
“I want you to overcome 'em with yeses, undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to death and destruction”
His Battle Royale speech
Significance is letting his memory and the past influence him
Why is it important that Ellison made Homer Barbee blind?
His praise for the founder’s vision is questioned because he himself cannot see. By giving him the name Homer, Ellison references Greek poet Homer, who was also blind and wrote poems praising heros. Ellison uses Barbee to satirize the college’s desire to transform the Founder into a similarly mythic hero.
Liberty Paint’s signature color is ________. Explain why this is ironic
Optic white; this is ironic because it reflects society’s notion that white people are more pure than black people. In reality the paint is made by adding drops of black paint which represents the importance black individuals play in America.
What is the significance of Invisible Man’s struggle to dispose of the smashed coin bank he stored there from his former living quarters with Mary?
The coin bank, like so much else he puts in the briefcase, ties the Invisible Man to his past. The items constantly weigh on him both physically and mentally, and especially in the case of the coin bank, he is unable to rid himself of these items while still holding onto the belief in his own visibility.
Name and explain two scenes that utilized the motif of electricity.
Electric rug: The white spectators found enjoyment in the black fighters struggling as they tried to pick up the money off the electric rug
Monopolated lights: The prologue address the invisible man in his hole with 1,369 lights, depriving light from the residents above
One of the most prominent examples of deceit in the novel is when Dr. Bledsoe provides the Invisible Man with fake letters of recommendation on his job search. What does this action, among others, say of Bledsoe and where he sits in society?
Bledsoe, although black, is willing to betray and put-down other blacks just to maintain his position of power at the college. He finds himself under the authority of whites, but remains submissive to them so that he doesn’t risk losing his seat. He is overall selfish and treacherous.
Trueblood commits unspeakable acts and is shunned by the black community. However, the white community gives him money, and other gifts. What is the significance of the different actions of the two groups?
This is significant because to the white people, Trueblood embodies the negative stereotype of a black male. He reinforces all of the negatives that the white people will focus on. To the black community, however, Trueblood is a disgrace and does not represent black people or their culture.
Who sells the sambo dolls and what do they hint at?
Tod Clifton; The sambo dolls are controlled by an invisible string which is a play on black black people being controlled by white people. Along with this the sambo dolls hint that the intentions of the Brotherhood are not what they seem.
What conclusion does Invisible Man seem to come to with the statement, “Ha! Ha! I’ve had you in my briefcase all the time and you didn’t know me then and you can’t see me now,” (566).
At this point in the story, IM has become so disheartened by the consistent disappointments and struggles he encounters that he finally seems to recognize his own invisibility. The entire time he has been holding onto this briefcase and the aura of importance he felt with it, he was making virtually no impact on the world, so just as these men standing above the manhole cannot physically see him now, nobody could see him for the rest of the story.
Which two characters endorse the invisibility as a position in society to undermine others powers?
The veteran at Golden Day and the grandfather
They believed that the best role for an African American in society was to “overcome em with yeses.” However at the end of the novel, the Invisible Man knows that invisibility will bring safety but can not make a meaningful impact.
How does the “scientific” ideology that the Brotherhood preaches mirror that of a communist ideology?
IM was forced into speaking within a very narrow realm of thought, so that all of the Brotherhood appeared cohesive, but even more so the same. When he steps out of line and goes outside what they wish for him to say, he is forced to be re-educated in their terms, but really just coerced into becoming thoughtless and malleable.
Ras the Exhorter is well known to represent the ideology of Marcus Garvey, how does he oppose the beliefs held by both Invisible Man and the Brotherhood?
Appealing to crowds through emotional speech, and violence, Ras is the embodiment of chaos in the novel. He preaches constantly that African Americans will never be able to overcome oppression by working with white men, the exact opposite of the Brotherhood and IM’s approaches. The Brotherhood follows a Booker T. Washington style approach of working to gain equality steadily over time, but Ras wants it now and without white assistance.
After visiting Trueblood where do Mr. Norton and the Narrator go? What is significant of this location?
They visit the bar Golden Day. Golden day served as a bar and insane asylum. It's been a church, bank, restaurant and gambling house as well. The veterans that come here had a had a wide variety of jobs, ranging from low to high merit. The normal rules of society aren’t followed here, which is shown when the vet talks to Mr. Norton, saying that the college kids do not have to do with his destiny.
How is the briefcase a prime symbol of the theme power/ambition throughout the novel?
The briefcase itself is given to Invisible Man by some of the most powerful and influential men of his town, giving him the false feeling of importance. Hence forth, holding onto this briefcase serves as a physical representation of the journey for power and influence that IM finds himself on. He carries it through unemployment, hard labor, and all sorts of struggle, always with the notion that he deserves more.