From the beginning, it is clear that the Brotherhood cares about its appearance. The Chthonian hotel, where the Brotherhood meets, is an opulent building that has rooms “lined with books and decorated with old musical instruments” (300). Even the people dress nicely; Emma wore a dress smothered with “blazing diamonds” (300). This makes it seem as though the people in the Brotherhood are nothing but pretentious rich citizens. The money they spend on the hotel, fancy clothes, and drinks can go to more beneficial things like awareness for black equality or to help blacks get a higher education. Instead, they selfishly spend money for themselves. The hotel, the Chthonian, is named after the Greek Gods of the underworld. This allusion indicates that the Brotherhood may have a darker, more sinister side.
The Brotherhood makes the narrator erase his identity; the members give him another name, a relocated home, and some money to buy new clothes. The Brotherhood tries to rob the narrator of his individuality, and the narrator even says, “I [am] becoming someone else” (335). When the narrator makes a speech, it is a huge success because it motivates the audience. The Brotherhood committee, however, is enraged by the speech, claiming it was “wild, hysterical, politically irresponsible, and dangerous” (349). Now, the narrator must be “trained” (351) by Brother Hambro. The narrator can not comprehend what went wrong; his speech represents his true beliefs.Why would an organization that works to make “a better world for all people” (304) hinder the narrator from actually making a change? Clearly, the Brotherhood is corrupted.
As Jess mentioned, the Brotherhood has a darker, more corrupt side. The allusion to Chthonian adds to this darker side. The description of the building further develops the eerie feeling. The building is in "a strange part of the city" (299). The lobby is dimly lit. The narrator uses the word uncanny Together, the description and allusion prove the Brotherhood has a malicious side.
ReplyDeleteI would have never realized the hotel is named after the Greek Gods of the underworld. This adds so much more dimension to the negative foreshadowing towards the true motives of the Brotherhood. Initially, the narrator feels comfortable among these false activists. By the end, the narrator realizes the Brotherhood is selfish and cruel. The name "Chthonian", along with the diction choices Julia points out, proves this. The Brotherhood is not an organization one should want to be a member of, for their interests are only in their unrealistic ideology which benefits the white community and tears down the black.
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