The narrator’s expulsion from
college and move to New York serves as more than just a physical move. This change of scenery signifies a change in
the narrator. In the beginning, we see
that he is exactly what the white race wants, compliant and yes-man. He does not stand up for himself even though
he did nothing wrong or if he questions the morality of the situation. When the narrator moves to New York we see
him finally standing up for himself. He
realizes Bledsoe’s true intensions of him not returning to school and is hurt
by the betrayal. At Liberty Paints, he
is faced once again with the fight or flight dilemma. Instead of agreeing, like he did with Bledsoe,
he decided to fight Brockway. The
narrator finally sees that he needs to stand up for himself what he believes in.
Progressively as the story goes on the narrator changes as a character. From the beginning he is an "invisible man", complying to white society's standards and being like any other black person. Almost invisible to everyone else because he blends in with the general population so much. But as the story goes on the narrator begins to find a greater purpose. He begins to stand up against the racial prejudices he is faced against. He feels a need to stand up for what he believes in and ultimately does so throughout the course of the novel.
ReplyDeleteAs the story progresses, the narrator is slowly building his confidence and identity to take a stand for what he believes in. He is no longer the naïve narrator we had once seen in the beginning. Before, the narrator has no clue in his identity or how he fits into society. Instead, he is a man who is willing to speak out against any discrimination he sees, such as the scene where he spoke to the blacks about taking a different approach than a violent riot. He learns how to listen with an open mind rather than being blind by all the prejudices. I think his stay in Harlem, New York has made him become an active person in the black community.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to believe all of the hardships the narrator is facing throughout the course of this story. It is even worse considering the fact that he isn't the only person going through hardships. A majority of his race is facing similar problems. He is becoming just another cog in the white man's "machine". The narrator is beginning to realize that rebellion is the only true way to freedom.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, the narrator was very much blind to reality. He aimed to please and do well for himself, working hard until the incident with Mr. Norton changed everything. If the narrator never left the college, there would have been little to no change. He had to encounter new scenery and a blow to his ambitions in order to remove his blindfold and gain an awareness of the truth around him. Just as your image suggests, the narrator's life needed to take a turn in order for him to lose naivety and change.
ReplyDelete