Blog 4

The narrator attends a meeting with the members of the Brotherhood. The narrator thinks the Brotherhood cares about his actions. The only actions that concern the Brotherhood are those that pertain to benefiting and serving the group. The narrator mentions “my personal responsibility” (463) and Brother Jack questions what he just heard, “Did I hear him correctly?” (463). It upsets The Brotherhood when they realize the narrator’s interest is himself. Fearful of the narrator’s power, Brother Jack reminds the narrator, “you were not hired to think” (469) and to “let us handle the theory and the business of strategy” (470). The narrator deals with a repeated conflict of serving other people. He allows the other people to control him. He often fails to realize the true intentions organizations and people have. The narrator worked for the Brotherhood only to discover it is just another organization that will manipulate him into doing what they want.

Throughout the novel, Ellison uses symbolism that focuses on blindness. The narrator fails to notice Brother Jack has a glass eye until “something seemed to erupt out of his face” (474). All the other people “aren’t even surprised” (474), but the narrator is. Brother Jack has vision in only one eye because of his sacrifice for the Brotherhood (something he takes pride in). All Brother Jack can see is what the Brotherhood wants him to see. His glass eye symbolizes the blindness the Brotherhood requires of its members. Now, the narrator understands that being in the Brotherhood equates with blindly following white men. The Brotherhood will not allow society to see or hear the narrator’s ideas.