Invisible Man Ch. 7 & 8 Analysis PDF

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Chapter 7 P152 The narrator comments that the only thing violent about the veteran was his tongue, which is evidence that he still does not agree with the vet’s words just yet (still influenced by white thinking). P153 The vet talks about how being with a white woman is symbolic of being free. This talk of freedom indicates that the vet is well aware there is no true freedom. While black people can get with a white woman or eat in big restaurants in New York, they are merely symbols of freedom. There is no substance to that freedom, and it will be taken away when the blacks leave New York. P153 The vet explained that “there is no cure” when asked by the narrator. This brings into question whether he is really sick, or is he only sick because he is considered too dangerous to be left in the normal society. P153 The vet told the narrator to “play the game”, and said that he doesn’t “have to be a complete fool in order to succeed”. That is quite strange since we usually associate success with intelligence. Perhaps it is because the narrator is black that he has to act dumb to appeal to the white people. P154 The vet again speaks of invisibility, explaining that “they wouldn’t see you because they don’t expect you to know anything”. This establishes the white man’s view of the blacks: they don’t see them as equals and hence do not give much thought to their presence. P155 The vet explains that there is always an element of crime in freedom. This can be reflective of how the blacks still do not have overt right to freedom, hence the whites always see them as committing a crime when they do reach for freedom. P156 The narrator noted that he felt he was moving into the unknown upon seeing “cotton fields and cabins”. While he is moving into the unknown in terms of location, he is also moving into greater freedom, into a world that is unassociated with slavery -- which is represented by cotton fields and cabins. P157 The narrator persists in his want to please the white man, envisioning how he would dress nicely

and appear agreeable in front of them. He also mentioned that he would “never begin a subject of his own”, which further indicates that he still views himself as inferior to the white people. P158 When the narrator was pressed against a woman on the subway, he was horrified and desperately tried to get away from her while expecting her to scream. These details indicate the narrator’s mindset of inferiority. P159 Upon seeing a black policeman directing traffic, the narrator’s courage returned. He realized that New York was indeed a place of dreams and of freedom. Chapter 8 P162 The edges of the bible pages were blood-red -- significance? P163 The letters gave the narrator a feeling of importance, and he was eager for someone to read the letters and acknowledge his own importance. This is evidence of how the narrator relies on others to acknowledge his own self-worth, which undermines his individuality. P164 The narrator envisioned the doctor with his watch, giving out orders that felt important. Then he saw himself dressed fashionably and speaking in front of cameras. He thought to himself that he would have two voices, one of the north and one for the south. In this moment, the narrator is largely similar to Dr. Bledsoe, as he too plans to put on masks and act for the white men. This is also further proof of the racism that exists in the country, as the narrator has to act a certain way to be treated respectably. P164 The narrator comments that the black people walking along with leather pouches reminded him of prisoners carrying their leg irons. When he looked at the other men carrying briefcases, however, he thought they appeared important. This is another instance of covert racism on the narrator’s behalf. Furthermore, when the narrator imagined that the pouches were filled with money, he became excited. He does not seem to mind the idea that the black men were slaves of money, instead, he seems to want to be like them. P165 The narrator wondered if he was being watched by people through “peepholes”, which showcases that he is aware of the power that exists in New York. Upon arriving at the address, the narrator felt “challenged by the sheer height of the white stone”.

This is another indication of the white man’s power by using the color white. Despite being in New York, the narrator still believes in the power of the white. P165 The statue of liberty and the gulls are all symbols of freedom. The fact that the torch of the statue was covered by the fog may be indicative of how the narrator is unable to fully grasp of thought of freedom just yet. P166 The narrator worried about his appearance before the interview, thinking that he would lose his chance because of his suit or his hair. This proves that the narrator does not realize a person’s power exists in their personality and their own selves. Instead, he focuses on the superficial because his skin color has been decisive in his life for the longest time. P167 When the front desk lady asked for the letter, the narrator sensed a “command in the extended hand”, even though there was likely none. The narrator is accustomed to obeying the white’s orders, even in the free north. Furthermore, he was even too afraid to sit down, which also showcases his feeling of inferiority. P168 The narrator dismissed the secretaries’ strange looks, feeling powerful because of his connection to the white man. Again, he draws confidence from others -- specifically white -- which showcases his lack of individuality. P169 The narrator wrote a letter to Mr. Norton on his own. For once, he was not reliant on others to direct his fate and was instead taking the initiative. However, he is still hoping to gain a future out of another man, which indicates that he had not become a true individual yet. P170 The narrator forgot himself in the movies, perhaps because it was so dark that he had become physically invisible. Being invisible, he was able to become one with those in the stories despite there being “no one like him taking part in the adventures”. He seemed to forget his race when he is invisible and hence forgot the gap that separated him and the whites....