Chapter 19: Blog Post

Objective: Themes
Several motifs permeate the novel, such as blindness, invisibility, racism, social equality, and
tradition. You may be able to think of others. Return to the list of symbols you started in a
previous chapter. Indicate which motif each symbol is most closely allied. You may use some
motifs or symbols more than once. Once you have matched these, create thematic statements
(same as in the open question) about how that motif operates with the novel in conjunction with
the symbol

Symbol Motif Thematic Statement

Booker T. Washington Tradition Booker T. Washington was one of

(recurring) the most influential black leaders of
the late nineteenth and early
twentieth century. He advocated for
black accommodation along with an
emphasis on education for African-
Americans.

Booker T. Washington advised

black Americans to give up dreams
of political power, civil rights, and
the higher education of their youth
and instead focus gaining low-level
jobs, working hard, and achieving
acceptance in the eyes of the white
man.

The bible Blindness & Tradition The Bible the protagonist finds in
the Man’s House quickly reminds
him of home and the many other
aspects of his life where religion
has played a part.

The Bible itself serves as a

flashback and moment of nostalgia
where the protagonist remembers
his own family as well as Dr.
Bledsoe and the university.

The seven letters Blindness, Betrayal, The seven letters serve as sensation
Opportunity, Desire of importance, superiority, and a
mixture of hope.

The letters, given to him from Dr.

Bledsoe himself, are addressed to
the most important trustees/ donors
from the university in hope of
finding the protagonist a job in the
city.
 These letters make the narrator feel
important and slightly better about
himself and his opportunities. He
brags about his importance in this
instance while also exemplifying
some sensation/ aspect of hope for
finding a job.

The briefcase (recurring) Blindness & Invisibility The briefcase in the novel functions
as a symbol to reveal the attempts
the narrator made to achieve social
equality that followed him
everywhere.

The briefcase in the novel functions

a symbol to reveal the experiences
in which the narrator felt invisible
causing him to struggle to develop
his identity.

The dream (recurring) Fate & Tradition The protagonist’s grandfather’s

dream has served as a moment of
realization for himself.

Ever since the reader was

introduced to the grandfather's
dream in Battle Royal, we have
gained some knowledge regarding
the beliefs and interpretation the
grandfather had regarding his own
contribution to black liberation.

Liberty Paint Factory Insibility, Racism, Social Liberty Paint is famous for its white
(Machine Symbolism) Inequality paint called none other than "Optic
White". In effect, the sign advertises
to keep America pure with whites
and not just white paint. Next, the
invisible man must walk down a
long, pure white hallway. At this
time he is a black man symbolically
immersed in a white world, a
recurring idea of the novel.

The paint store's motto is also

symbolic. This shows the racism in
the environment where narrato
currently works; if you taint the
white paint, if you alter anything
that is "right", you are seen as an
immediate threat to the society.

Animal Symbolism Blindness & Invisibility During the car ride with Brother
Jack, the narrator's first real
encounter with the brotherhood, the
 two drive by the snow covered zoo.

The dangerous animals in the zoo

represent the members of the
brotherhood and their true
intentions. The dark reservoir
concealed by the white snow also
represents the brotherhood's
malicious intentions.

White, usually representing purity

in literature symbolizes the
brotherhood's false promises
covering the darkness and betrayal
that lies underneath.

The black coin bank Invisibility, Racism, The coin back in the novel function
Stereotype, Blindness as a symbol of the racism deeply
embedded within society.

The coin back in the novel

functions as a symbol that reveals
African American’s blindness
towards social justice.

The coin back in the novel

functions a symbol that reveals the
tradition of stereotyping African
Americans and not breaking the
norm.

The narrator’s speech Blindness, Opportunity, The narrator's speech symbolizes

Desire his initiation into The Brotherhood.
It's his first big gig with the gang,
and its success both symbolizes and
foreshadows the narrator's future
success in Harlem.

The passion with which he gives the

speech symbolizes the passion he
later has for the advancement of
African Americans.

The speech also symbolizes a

reference point for him to look back
upon, a 'before' point before he
begins his training and
transformation with the brother
Hambro.

Narrator as a “soldier” Blindness & Invisibility Brother Jack calls the narrator a
"soldier" to make sure the narrator
understands what he's getting into.
Like most other soldiers, the
narrator does not yet fully see all
 the responsibilities.

Another example is when the

narrator feels that his new
popularity has put him in a "race"
against himself. His old self being a
more one on one person and his
new self is an everybody person. He
feels each one is trying to beat the
other one out.

19.2 How invisibility is playing a part in each of the following: The mysterious letter, Tarp's
chain gang past, Westrum's ideas, the magazine interview, the night with the neglected
housewife, the reassignment on the "woman question"

Invisibility plays a major role in the mysterious letter because the narrator continues to struggle
with his identity so he is unsure if his approaches to achieving social justice are adequate. In
addition, invisibility connects to Tarp’s chain gang past because he realizes that fighting for
social justice is crucial for African Americans but he feels that he is not taking the right approach
because in the eyes of society is black and powerless. In terms of Westrum’s ideas the narrator
believes that Westrum is taking a drastic approach instead of fighting for social equality.
Therefore, the narrator disagrees with Westrum’s approaches of achieving for social equality,
Lastly, invisibility plays a major role when he has the magazine interview because it caused to be
sent away from the brotherhood in which he was responsible of advocating for women rights.
The invisibility comes in when he has no experience interacting with the topic of women rights
most importantly having physical contact with white women. Because he was unfamiliar with
how he should interact with white women, he gave in committing adultery.