If you were forced to choose (and you are being forced, well, not "forced" but you know, please do this or class will be awkward and unnecessarily antagonistic if you don't) which one of these images best represents something about the narrator? It might explain his situation, his personality, his journey, his attitude, his environment—or some combination of these—you decide. Elaborate on the metaphorical values of specific details within each image. Go for a complex interpretation, beyond the obvious.
From Kat and Anne:
ReplyDeletePicture number 8 best represents the way the narrator feels most often. The key symbol in this image is the fact that the man is 3/5 erased. This brings us back to the time when the constitution detailed that only 3/5 of all other votes, "other" being the African American population, should be counted. This directly corresponds to how the society around the narrator treats him. He is only slightly there to them, but they do not see the real him. This is most strikingly portrayed when he is in the room with Brother Jack, and he realizes that Brother Jack only has one eye. As a result Brother Jack can only ever see part of him, just as the society only sees that which they choose to see. Another key symbol is the fact that the picture was previously there, but is slowly being erased, just as the narrator's self confidence and validity is being erased by those who wish to use him.
I really like how you connected it to the 3/5 compromise. I agree with the points you're making, but I also noticed how all of the men on the page are the same. I think the narrator is the man holding the pencil, and while he tried to conform before and be the ideal black member of society, he is coming to recognize his invisibility in society and is erasing himself from the page.
DeleteWe think number 2 best represents the narrator's journey as he is constantly struggling to move forward. No matter how far he goes he is unable to escape his burdens and is trapped in a never-ending illusion that he actually is progressing and arriving at his destination, which is yet to be seen.
ReplyDelete-Claire Berner and Marisa Berner
Sean and I also talked about the photo number 2, but we didn't see this correlation. I agree with the fact that the narrator is moving, but never actually moving forward. He is and has always been trapped in this white man's world, and while he believes at certain points in the novel that he is making progress, he is ultimately just going in circles.
DeleteJeffrey and Spencer: We picked image number 5, for a couple of reasons. First, (I'm not a biologist but I've heard that) sharks can't ever fully stop moving because they need water flow in order to respirate through their gills. In some sense, the narrator is condemned to never stop moving either – from the South to college, from college to New York, across different jobs and into the brotherhood’s movement. Likewise, sharks have a complex of threat constructed around them, with very little evidence – i.e. the number of actual shark attacks is very low. But in another way, sharks’ expression of their most basic needs is in conflict with those around them and the order of things. Sharks don’t have any particular malice, they just need to eat. In the same way, the narrator’s most instinctual behaviors – giving speeches, following the orders of Mr. Norton, riling up the people – are the ones that most frequently get him into trouble or cause chaos around him. Like his grandfather said, he’s doomed to disrupt others through doing what’s expected of him.
ReplyDeleteI like the point you made about how the shark just has to keep swimming forever and how that relates to the narrator's constant attempts to move forward, but I don't really agree with your second point. While the narrators instincts do sometimes lead him into trouble, just as often his conscious decisions or thoughts have the same effect. Trouble follows him whether he follows his instincts or not.
DeleteThat was nicely put. Usually the first thing you think about when thinking of sharks isn't that they have to keep swimming. Pretty deep stuff
DeleteI think that throughout the novel it's clear that in most situations, there is no win for the narrator. Oftentimes what different people and different groups want from him directly contradict, and there is no route for him to take that can benefit him. It's absolutely true that no matter what he does, there will be hell to pay after. For example the section where he's trying to rid himself of the coin bank, there's no way for him to turn that gets him what he wants, and similarly, he faces prejudice both as a Southerner and as a Northerner, just in different ways.
DeleteI really like the idea of the narrator intrinsically causing chaos around him by existing the way that he is naturally inclined to. That being said, do you think that he naturally wanted to obey Mr. Norton because of his naturally docile personality or was he taught to react to white people as such and does so because he fears what else he could do? His desire to give speeches is a quality that gets him into trouble, though I don't think he actually wants to cause trouble at first, it just morphs into a job that allows that to happen. What I find more compelling is the idea that what is expected of him through society causes chaos, which leads to the idea of existentialism.
DeletePhoto 2 explains one facet of the narrator's journey throughout the novel. Number 2 depicts stairs circling a central area; although an individual may strive to run up the stairs to reach the second floor, he or she is merely circled back to the bottom floor. At the beginning of the novel, he constantly aspires to become successful or "runs up the stairs," but ultimately finds himself facing consequences. Time and time again the narrator finds himself hoping for a better future, whether that be with Mr. Norton, at the Brotherhood, or giving speeches, but he is ultimately led to incessant problems. The narrator is tired out as the novel progresses; initially optimistic, he grows wary of the achievement of his aspirations.
ReplyDelete-Sean and Veronica
I appreciate this response so much! It does appear that he keeps circling one central issue, but he just gets caught on another pathway that leads him back to the fringes of his true desires.
DeleteTrue. I think the geometric impossibility of Escher's image -- that the stairs are always going up but still leave a person back where they started -- represents an important aspect of the narrator's journey, the fact that he mostly always thinks he's on the "right path" to wherever he's going, but ultimately makes little headway against the larger forces that determine his position in society.
DeleteI agree. The narrator's perpetual cycle between aspiration and disappointment due to some unforeseen obstacle is very well represented in photo 2.
DeleteI really like the idea you brought up of the narrator's circular journey and his futility in getting anywhere. I think that it really touches upon the author's point that at this point in society, racial discrimination was so systematic that black individuals were unable to go beyond what white society allowed them to.
DeleteI like how you associated the image with the narrator's personality. My group interpreted this image as representative of the situation the narrator finds himself in, but I think his attitude and events are shaped by his struggle.
DeleteFrom Tara and Angela: Image 8 encapsulates several things about the narrator. First, there seems to be many other identical men, similar to how the Brotherhood does not see the narrator as an individual, but rather as a figurehead they can shape, mold, and control. To Brother Jack, the narrator is just another black man that they he can use; he buys his free will. Furthermore, there seems to be a large eraser coming from the sky that's erasing the man, but all the men are immobile, unable or unwilling to move out the way. The narrator's identity is stripped from him by the racism around him, leaving him "invisible", but in a way the narrator enables his own loss of identity by joining the Brotherhood for the money and then eventually accepting his life as an invisible man.
ReplyDeleteAwesome connection between the generic drawings to the Brotherhood considering its members as moldable figureheads as opposed to actual people
DeleteAIGHT so if you look REAL carefully at number 4, you'll notice that there's a lightbulb. Not only is it a lightbulb, but it's ON whereas the other ones are not. NOW, in a way, this could be reflective of the narrator's en-LIGHT-enment. In the prologue, the narrator, despite having an unreasonably large amount of lightbulbs, still feels invisible. Likewise, his large role in the Brotherhood gives him "light"; yet, he still lacks a concrete substance of himself - of who he is as a person and whether or not that's determined by his own self or by those around him.
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS CRAZY GOOD!! WONDER WHO UR PARTNER WAS?!?!?!!?!?
DeleteNicely put, Derek. I think you really put this really well. Also I apologize to all Stevens who were not mentioned in this post.
DeleteI like the "enlightenment" pun and the progression in word choice in your comment. Do you think that the narrator should be compared to the "other lightbulbs" in his surroundings that have no light, or should he be compared to something with substance?
DeleteAYy this is LIT lol. The physical connection from the image's lightbulb to the narrator's obsession with light / electricity in his manhole is clever. He also has not really made any connections or done anything with his experiences / discoveries, so there is a lone light that aint discoverin nothin.
DeleteImage 3: The narrator consistently chooses complacency over the more radical views of those around him, like Bledsoe. This creates an irony where, in his attempts to blend in, he becomes a white dot in a sea of black.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really great point but couldn't that be the same reason for number 6, as he is trying to blend in, but still sticking out.
DeleteI think that this is a really interesting interpretation, because most people are probably like, ¨he´s black, he´s gotta be the black dot on the white sea¨, but you flipped that on it´s head stating that the picture was not a representation of skin color, but of complacency, or rebellion. My only question is, what do you have to say about his involvement with the Communists? That is a radical group. He is not necessarily complacent with society´s expectations, but with the expectations of those directly surrounding him.
DeleteOh wow, quite deep this is. Do you think that he'll gradually become a black dot amongst a sea of black, unable to be seen but STILL THERE? This was definitely my original idea.
DeleteImage 4)
ReplyDeleteThe single lightbulb makes me think of the narrator's hole in the beginning, which he is lining with lights that are lit with stolen electricity. Because he has come to recognize his invisibility in society, he has become more attached to light because it illuminates his physical being in the world and proves he is human. The stealing electricity is one of his ways of fighting back, of invisibly making an impact. I think, as the story progresses, he becomes progressively more aware with his position in society. As he witnesses accumulating instances of injustice, a metaphorical lightbulb of an idea or realization turns on in his brain, and as he becomes more aware of his standing, he gains more light.
I think what's also interesting is how the narrator relies on a physical object, a lightbulb, to make himself visible. However, as the story progresses we see that this entire comparison takes on a more abstract and metaphorical view.
DeleteWould you say that his metaphorical lightbulb is in the process of being turned on or that it's just sort of flickering on right now? Do you think there will reach a point in the story where he has a small little setback in that regard? What would you think would happen after the lightbulb is turned on, because of that whole sanity in a world of insanity question?
DeleteKyle and Emily, Photo #8: We chose photo number 8 because to us the pencil represented the ability and potential to either draw or erase oneself. Throughout the novel, the narrator goes through an ongoing process of loss of identity and grasping attempts to find one. The number of identical figures in the photo symbolizes the anonymity the narrator experiences regardless of whether he is in the North or South. The narrator often has inner conflict about whether or not he will allow himself to just become part of the crowd, thus the constant erasing and penciling in of the image.
ReplyDeleteLove thinking of the dual ability of the pencil.
DeleteIf the narrator is erased (and becomes invisible), he would not be a part of the masses anymore. Although he would not be a well know figure (even though he is right now in the novel), he would make decisions on his own instead of listening to other forces.
Delete#2. We would choose #2 because it represents how the narrator keeps trying different things, but never really gets anywhere. There are lots of staircases and passageways, but they all lead back to the same place. Throughout the novel, he continuously tries different things, attempting to advance his position, or the position of his race, but never accomplishes anything. Another significant thing is that there doesn't really seem to be an end goal in sight, which is similar to the way the narrator goes through his life. He doesn't know what his own goal is, he just follows the paths others lay out for him until he gets lost and ends up back where he began.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that this image represents his, what seems like, endless struggle with internal conflict.
DeleteWell said, Teddy. That is all.
DeleteThe image is very confusing to look at, and on first reading the book is as well. There are a lot of correlations between the image and the book. I like it.
DeleteImage number 8 represents the narrator feeling the narrator is being erased from the world that he wants to exist in. The first time this happens is when he gets kicked out of college, and feels like he's being barred from the academic world. The second time is when he is kicked out of the Harlem section of the Brotherhood and is told to go speak on women's issues instead. The main conflict of the story is the narrator fighting back against this "erasing." He vigorously pursues jobs that he believes will allow him to return to the world he has been removed from. The paper in the image is a grid and all of the men are the same, which represents the mold that all black men are being forced into to benefit white society. They wish to create a group of people who are uniform- like the paint that they primed to be the exact same shade. (Lauren and Kate)
ReplyDeletePicture #2 explains the narrator’s struggle to find his identity in an irrational, distorted society. The narrator builds pathways that he believes can help him climb up the social ladder but there is no clear way for him to succeed because the nature of the architecture prevents his race from ascending.
ReplyDeleteThe picture illustrates staircases and doorways that lead nowhere. This warped reality with unclear pathways symbolizes not only the inner turmoil of the narrator’s mind, but also the contradicting and confusing world that surrounds him. Even though these staircases and doorways seem realistic, ultimately, they lead him nowhere and render him even more confused.
The black-and-white coloration in the picture represents the sharp distinctions between black and white, north and south in the world he exists in.
By Megana B, Cindy W, and Christine H
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ReplyDeleteI think picture number 7 best represents the narrator in Invisible Man because many of the characters in the book seem to think that the narrator has a calling to do something important in society and to be a leader. Like Uncle Sam's urging, the narrator also feels an urgency deep down that he has some sort of duty to uphold. Many characters in the book, including his grandfather, are the Uncle Sam to the narrator to implore him to do something important.
ReplyDeleteIn the picture, Uncle Sam is pointing impersonally because his message applies to no one in particular. Similarly the narrator experiences a loss of personal identity because he does not make the choice to choose his own path and instead allows other people to use him for their own gains.
good job this is the best one
DeletePicture 8 represents the narrator's battle with obscurity, as he is erased into nothingness. He is constantly fighting to fit in – to be like the other men in the picture – but he cannot fit in with this white model of society, and thus the whiteness of the background begins to consume him entirely. He is being dehumanized; he is losing his true sense of self as he fades into invisibleness. He is invisible to the point where the other men in the photo can not even see him, or at least choose not to. The eraser rubs violently against the paper as his journey becomes increasingly more violent from his fight with Brockway to his lashing out at the bank. He is being erased bit by bit, and eventually will be completely blocked out by white society.
ReplyDeleteI agree, we also talked about how he is getting pushed out of the community because of his struggles with racial profiling and identity.
DeleteJoey and I worked together and thought that picture #8 best illustrated the narrator's situation. The narrator is constantly being swept up in things out of his control, and almost being erased from society. He is just a small figure on that big sheet of paper, and factors outside of his control dictate whether or not he can stay there. Also, thinking about how the book is titled Invisible Man, we have followed him on this journey to invisibility and nonexistence.
ReplyDeleteI agree, we also talked about how the narrator's struggle to fit in is making him more and more invisible than he already was.
DeletePicture #8 represents how the narrator always struggled to fit in. His identity is never seen for what it is and people focus on his race. Because of this the narrator is slowly becoming more and more invisible in the lives of many. Due to this new feeling that the community is ignoring his existence, he becomes much more insecure and has less self confidence because he ultimately is looking for acceptance in others.
ReplyDelete8. Being erased and erasing himself -
ReplyDeleteThe narrator struggles with his identity a lot throughout the book, whether it is to be proud of his race and his culture or to be subservient to white dominance. As a result of this entire experience, he tries to erase himself and resorts to being invisible.
OR, as we see specifically in his interaction with the piggy bank, the narrator effortfully tries to erase the negative connotations associated with his race and external perceptions of him. He is concerned with how people view him and does not want to give them any reason to look down on him.
OR we see those people that he fears are making poor judgements of him based on his race are trying to erase him. They view him as insignificant or just another black man. He is a blemish to the the society because, "If it's not white, it's not right".
i agree that in a way the narrator erases himself as well as his identity is erased by others.
DeletePicture 2 represents the narrators struggle to find his identity and his beliefs when he is being led in so many different directions by other people. The paths he takes (represented by stairs) lead no where and he reaches dead ends. This forces him to pick a different path, which also leads nowhere and so on. This image also shows how all the pathways available to him are pre-determined. The only way for him to get anywhere would be to metaphorically create his own stairs.
ReplyDeletePicture 3 represents the fact that even though physically he is the dark, he is actually the opposite in some ways. Even though he says he is invisible, it is counter-intuitive because he lights his home up, his perception is the fact that everyone sees a hole where they should see him. Even though he is not invisible, he thinks that everyone else does not see the space that he impacts, which causes him to go out of his way to be seen. This manifests itself in him giving speeches, punching the guy who bumps into him in the prologue, and joining the brotherhood. In this way, he is the light that is trying the hardest to flare up, and everyone else is "in the dark", or oblivious, to his struggle/efforts.
ReplyDelete-Uma, Laura, Henna
The 8th image best suits the narrator's situation in life. The figure being erased relates to his invisibility, in that he feels those around him are blind and unable to see him. In addition, the figure is being erased by somebody else, implying that while the narrator may accept his invisibility, he is being forced into his current state of living by those around him.
ReplyDeleteLily and Talia, Image 3: We picked this image because, first and foremost, the narrator seems to be extremely alone and isolated. The world around him, according to him, is unforgiving and dark. He is perhaps the only competent, "knowing" person in this whole book. The rest of the world around him is in the DARK. He is alone in his enLIGHTened beliefs and thoughts on the rest of his.
ReplyDeleteI thought the way that you made a distinction between this and #6 by utilized a description of color was insightful. 11/10 puns.
DeletePicture 8 represents how the narrator's identity is constantly shaped by those around him, and thus he has come to lose his identity in the process. It has been robbed from him in the sense that almost everyone he interacts with has an idea of who he should be (and how it can be an advantage to them). Once he no longer fits their forced perception of him, he becomes invisible; irrelevant to them. And as the story progresses, he comes to realize this fact; we see much more rebellion now than before. The irony here is that given his position, he should be at his most "visible." But if he wants to stop being Mary's piggy bank, or the Sambo(?) doll, or a chaser of the coins on the electric rug, invisibility may be the only other option.
ReplyDeleteImage number seven is a picture of a white man bossing people around, acting as if he were the boss. It also has a more patriotic aspect as it is an image of Uncle Sam. We believe that the this best represents the narrator because, in the very beginning, he believes he must please the white men. However, when he learns that he should not, he still continues to be bossed around by others, most of them white, but that includes a few black people. Further, he is constantly being oppressed by them, and he finds it difficult to move forward in his life. The patriotic aspect of the image also represents a lot with the narrator because he feels an obligation to comply to their demands, and because he feels that he has an obligation to work for brothers and to help improve the treatment towards his race.
ReplyDeleteAxel and Viktor(Road dad)
ReplyDeleteImage number two represents the life mission of the narrator within Invisible Man. Since the first chapter of the story, we know that the narrator is going to be “kept running” throughout his life and as he matures throughout the book. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the narrator is constantly contradicting himself, without any real plan of how to get his message across. The narrator knows what he wants to say. The narrator is always trying his best to achieve something seemingly unreachable. He often finds himself having a drastically different perspective on whether or not he should assimilate into society or not, embrace his culture or deny it, etc. This is shown through the series of intricate / trans-dimensional staircases that will most certainly “keep you running” towards an unreachable destination(debatable) as the narrator always seems to do within his own identity and comprehension of his goal in life.
Picture 2 because it explains the narrator's struggle to fit into society and find his identity. Throughout the novel, the narrator tries differently things, but he fails to succeed and thus cannot climb up the ladder. Additionally, there is no clear path for him to ascend to the top. This relates to how the narrator doesn't really have a clear goal. Someone always tells him what to do.
ReplyDeleteAdrian and I believe that picture 3 represents the narrator's environment. The black paper is what he sees himself as, whereas the white hole that society has pocked is what others only see him as. He has been shoved into the pinhole that society has forged for him and is now accustomed to people only seeing him as that sliver of himself. He sees himself as more than just a color and longs for freedom from this mentality. This picture could also be the perspective of an individual who is stuck at the bottom of a hole and can faintly see a light above. This light could be a figment of his imagination or an unachievable journey.
ReplyDeleteThe second image can represent the narrator's attempts to fit himself into a single box. He desires simplicity which drives him to make a black and white version of his complex reality. He continues to look for something concise, or a single point a view, so his attitude shifts again and again in search of that. He enters many routes similarly to how MC Escher's drawing presents various ways to reach the same location, over and over again.
ReplyDeletePicture 7 represents the encounters that the narrator faces throughout his discovery of the social structure around him. As he tries to improve his situation despite the discrimination black people face, he is constantly met with opposition from people like Mr. Bledsoe and the woman who called him as a Southerner. These characters are manifestations of the overall American attitude that oppressed minorities and continuously smothered the Narrator's attempts to find freedom.
ReplyDeleteby Vicky Chung and Annli Tico