This section was very long so I won’t be able to talk about everything but I’ll talk about a few things that stood out. One was the veteran who finally got what he wanted after speaking out. He says, “For a year I’ve tried to get transferred, then this morning I’m suddenly told to pack” (153). Just because the veteran went against Bledsoe, he now wants him to go away because he sees him as a threat. The veteran got what he wanted in the end, but not because of anything in his power. It’s sad how powerless he was in the situation and only came out with the ending he wanted because of the power that Bledsoe used to get him far away. Bledsoe does the same thing to the narrator and the veteran talks about this when he says, “Why the same they we always mean, the white folks, authority, the gods, fate, circumstances-the force that pulls your strings until you refuse to be pulled any more” (154). Although Bledsoe is not white, he is still the controlling factor in the narrator’s life. He sends him away with fake recommendation letters and no chance of success. It’s sad that Bledsoe is a powerful black man but he does not do anything to help his own race. He is more focused on staying in power and looking good.
I also thought that chapter 11 was very interesting. That chapter shows us a new narrator who no longer has any sense of his identity because of the factory accident. While the doctor asks the narrator questions he can’t remember his name or many details. This transition is significant because the narrator is no longer fearful of the authority figures that have wronged him previously. His identity is then given to him by Jack as he joins the Brotherhood. They use him as a pawn for their movement and make him speak and think in the way that they want. Ras claims that the white members will turn on the black members, and the whole incident casts some uneasy feelings on the Brotherhood. This feeling also increases when Jack’s wife questions whether the narrator is black enough. The brotherhood also starts to look into the narrator and transfers him to a different branch dealing with women’s rights. Doing the interview seemed to be a bad idea for the narrators future. Do you think that the narrator will stay with the Brotherhood or do you think he will start on a new path?
Great entry Kristen! I think that the narrator will stay with the Brotherhood for a while at least, most likely to broaden his horizons and get more experience with public speaking. But I did find it interesting how accepting he was of this transfer. I feel that hebisbaleays being put down or blamed for situations and reaping he consequences of issues he didn't entirely create, at least not consciously. Perhaps once he feels he has done all he can for the women's rights group, or more likely gets blamed for something and has to leave, the narrator will move on and maybe make something of himself with no relation to s larger corporation. Can't wait to see what you say next time!
ReplyDeleteAwesome note that Ras predicted the white would turn on the black even within the Brotherhood. Where/how do you see that happening in chs. 18 and after? Also good focus on who is controlling the narrator's identity and what time...is there any point so far where he seems to be controlling his own?
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