The Power Of Words

After the debacle with Mr.Norton, the narrator is forced to speak with Mr. Bledsoe. Although Mr.Norton had told him not to blame the narrator for the inconvenience, Mr.Bledsoe didn't let it go. Instead of giving him another chance, Bledsoe immediately expelled the narrator from the school. However, Bledsoe tells him he must work in New York to earn the money to return to school and pay his tuition. Foolishly, the narrator leaves with seven recommendation letters that would help him get a job in the North and gain the money he needs.

Trusting the dean, the narrator delivers six of the letters, and is surprised when he does not recieve an answer from any of them. When he has only one letter left, the narrator decides to give his last letter personally to Mr.Emerson since he believes probably thir secretaries are involved with the missing letters.

When he arrived to Mr.Emerson's office and is attended by his son who read the letter, he learns Mr.Bledsoe had ruined his future. By only writing bad things about the narrator, Mr.Bledsoe had enough power to prevent the narrator from getting a job and returning to college.

Mr.Bledsoe carefully used some words to manipulate the narrator to leave and by the same means he wrote some few words that prevented the speaker from succeeding in New York. This shows the power just one person can have over another and how words are so powerful in the text. Mr.Bledsoe could be the one that lead the narrator to become invisible.

The Thick Bold Line

There are not supposed to be so many differences between black and white people. However, instead of being blurry, the line between these two races is rather thick and bold. There is a clear point of view towards the members of each race, and even the characters themselves support these differences. Shortly after the period of slavery, racism in not nearly forgotten.

Although white southern people were the ones distinguishing African Americans as different, the same black race, differs themselves and sometimes even consider themselves inferior. I make this harsh statement, due to the attitude of the speaker and basically everyone in the Golden Day, at the time of the debacle. When Mr.Norton loses consciousness, the speaker becomes desperate seeking for help and a drink for the white man. When Halley refuses to sell whiskey-to go, the speaker begs him to make an exception because it is for a white man, trustee of the college he attends. Anyways, Halley declines, and the speaker has no choice but bring him in.

When they enter the tavern, all the black men make jokes about the white man, saying he is Thomas Jefferson and refer to him as the "Messiah", making an ironic joke, giving Mr.Norton absurd importance only because he is a white man. However, as the chaos is about to end, the veteran that helped wake Mr.Norton, mocks his intentions of remaining as a helper of the college and insults him by doubting his interest. At this moment, we are able to see how sometimes Afro-Americans think less of themselves due to what society has taught, since the speaker thinks much more of Mr.Norton than what the white man thinks of him.

The speaker's innocence is seen here, where he just admires white men that helped build the college because thanks to them, he has now many opportunities. However, he ignores history and these men's true intentions not realizing they are all equal. Due to this, a man in the taverns says to the speaker, "he is just a man." The thick line between white and black people is clearly seen, showing the misconception of society. Even when they go back to the school, the one to be punished is the speaker, if it weren't for what Mr.Norton said to Dr.Bledsoe. I believe it was the veteran's comments that made Mr.Norton realize how he was indirectly affecting kids like the speaker, and therefore decided to protect him.

Shortly, Reverend Barbee gives a speech about the Founder of the college, and how he fought his hard life as a slave and the obstacles that were present in his life to succeed in escaping and building such a college. Barbee's speech deeply moves the speaker, perhaps making a comparison with Mr.Norton. Just like the Founder is admired for his hard work and accomplishments, the speaker worships the white man for helping establish the school.

Invisibility

A new concept of invisibility is introduced by the speaker of the novel. Through the entire prologue, the speaker talks about his invisibility that has been an advantage for him but constantly a frustration as well. He makes it clear it is not a condition nor a "spook,"( Ellison 3) however, he is invisible because people have chosen not to see him.

The speaker proves people are blind when it comes to him, by telling a story about this. After accidentally bumping to a blonde white man that insulted him, he tries to get the man to apologize, but as the man refuses, he loses control and nearly killed him. After reading about it on the newspaper, the speaker laughs and truly believes it wasn't his fault. It was the blonde man's fault since he didn't apologize. He even says that if the police had come, they would have obviously blamed him.

This statement brings an important theme, racism. Since the beginning, we learn that the speaker is black, which says a lot about his invisibility, maybe even the major reason of it. The speaker being invisible is just a metaphor to a much bigger concept, racism. We can infer this since slavery and black people are a theme discussed even by the characters. Supposedly, slavery at the time of the speaker had already ended, and equality in America is now present. However, black men remain separate, even by attending a different college for young black men. Even when the speaker gives his speech, white men laugh at him and ridicule his race by forcing only black men to fight for their own entertainment. Although slavery had stopped, colored men were still treated as property and animals, laughing at how they tried to get fake coins and bills on an electrified rug.

Anyways, the speaker is given a scholarship for the college of black people, continuing with the separation of races. However, he is considered lucky or this, and even rides a white founder of the college around the campus. They talk about what they see and as they see Jim Trueblood, his story comes up to discussion. Living in a small home that used to be a slave quarter, Trueblood had sex with his own daughter. Disturbed by the situation, the white man, Mr.Norton, wishes to speak with the black man. Even though Trueblood committed a terrible crime, Norton ends up giving him money for his kids, just like every other white man does instead of punishing him for his horrific actions.