Chapter 20-21

This forum is for the discussion is for the discussion of Invisible Man, Chapter 20-21.

the narrator is called back to harlem only to find in the few months he is gone everything has gone down hill. People on the stree asre suspicious of him posily thiniking he abandoned them. the brotherhood deliberately leaves him in the dark and doesn't invite him to meetings. Ras is making trouble and more blacks are leaning toward his way of tinking.

I thought that the dolls that Clifton was selling was the most powerful symbol in the novel so far. They dance and draw crowds, people come to watch, but don't hear the words. In the end, it is just a puppet, that can only move if someone more powerful pulls the strings.

I think this is the first time that the narrator is seeing that he may be like the puppet. That he is just for show, to draw an unlistening crowd. His strings are being pulled, and anytime he tries to move on his own he will be punished.

I agree. I think that is partly why he was so andgry and disgusted with his old friend who was selling the dolls. He recognized immediatley the significance of the dolls and was deeply offended that his friend seemed not to know or care. Did you ever find out why he left the brotherhood and started selling dolls?

I couldn't tell if he chose to leave the brotherhood because of his morals, or if they got rid of him because he wan't doing what they wanted.

I didn't see that clifton was unhappy in his role. It cuaght me by surprise that he was gone when the narrator returned. I bet the brotherhood would not have called the narrator back if clifton hadnt bailed!