Slide 1

Symbols in Invisible Man There is an object on each persons desk that represents one symbol from Invisible Man. When the slide for your symbol appears, you must explain the significance of your symbol in the novel. Slide 2 1. The Briefcase Some day it will be filled with important papers that will help shape the destiny of your people. Given to him when he gets his scholarship, stays with him throughout his journey Contains tokens of his past must always carry the past around with him His only important possession, contains his whole life Symbol of success and determination Shifts uses as he shifts identities Uses it as a weapon to defend himself during the race riot Slide 3 2. The Narrators Namelessness Shows his search for identity He doesnt even know who he really is, cant accept himself Burns his diploma and passport (forms of identification) at the end to show him giving up all of the identities he has tried to fit into becomes truly nameless, his true self His new Brotherhood name shows how they tried to force him into becoming a different person, taking on a new identity Slide 4 3. Money Symbol of power and freedom a necessity in America IM is broke when he moves to in New York has no power over his situation The trustees give their white money to Jim Trueblood because he fits the savage stereotype of the black man, supporting their picture of the white American way The Brotherhood gives IM money to work for them for the same reason he represents black stereotypes Slide 5 4. Liberty Paints Optic White Overtones of racial purity slogan Keep America Pure If its Optic White, its the Right White The addition of 10 drops of black liquid intensifies the white (African American population 10%) The drops represent those blacks who contribute to the white American way Brockway, Trueblood Mr. Kimbro doesnt see the gray tinge in the white paint America looks different to blacks than to whites For white Americans blacks are invisible Optic White is used to paint national monuments whitewashing of American history Slide 6 5. The Hospital Machine Removed from reality and helpless within the machine, memory loss Represents what happens to black identity in the North Individual cultures blend into one American culture in the melting pot His rebirth, the white doctors have all the power while he is helpless Doctors ask IM about black culture (Brer Rabbit folktale) and he cant remember Slide 7 6. Frederick Douglass Represents great black leadership and rising up to success Given to IM by Brother Tarp, shows Tarps knowledge of historical struggles and pride in great black men The picture is gone when Brother Tarp disappears he takes his values and ideas of good leadership with him when he realizes the Brotherhoods true intentions are not for equality Slide 8 7. Brother Tarps Leg Chain Brother Tarp (trap) gives IM the symbol of his freedom from the chain gang and oppression Took him many years of patience and determination to gain his freedom Giving IM the leg chain is a gesture of kinship, and he becomes a trusted advisor to IM (reminds him of his Grandfather) Slide 9 8. The Coin Bank Represents stereotypes of black people Narrator breaks it, attempt to break down hurtful stereotypes Carries it around with him in his briefcase, tries to throw it away and gets yelled at cant escape his heritage and all that comes with it Slide 10 9. Yams The narrator eating the yams out in public shows his acknowledgement of kinship to African Americans and his realization that his race and his Southern heritage are inescapable parts of his identity I yam what I am Embracing his culture and accepting himself is the way to freedom and understanding Contrast with his refusal of pork chops and grits at the diner Slide 11 10. The Sambo Doll Shows Tod Cliftons disillusionment with the Brotherhood realizes their motives and rebels, turning to the other side of the spectrum ironic contrast The fact that it is a puppet shows that Tod Clifton realized that the black men (viewed stereotypically, like Sambo) were being used as puppets by the Brotherhood for the cause Controlled by invisible strings, IM cant figure it out Entertains the people with ludicrous dances Represents the derogatory stereotypes that the Brotherhood claims to be fighting against, symbol of black oppression Slide 12 11. The Rinehart Hat and Glasses Rinehart is a figure of shifting identity, understands and manipulates his invisibility Narrator realizes that he can also control how he is portrayed The hat and glasses change IMs vision, but dont blind him like the college and the Brotherhood did Ironic that by adopting yet another persons identity (Rineharts) the narrator is finally able to see his own path and stand for his own opinions Slide 13 12. Women Symbol of freedom and power, sex The women issue is a distraction for IM, used by the Brotherhood to keep their control over him Representative of the submission of women to men The married woman and Sybil both pretend to be interested in the narrators beliefs, but really just want to seduce him Reverse discrimination, they allow themselves to be treated as objects Slide 14 13. Mary Rambo Biblical name, connotation of purity Idea of Mary as an angel Represents the strong, proud, tough Southern black woman comforts IM by providing a haven of his heritage and racial identity He always instinctively tries to return to Marys She urges leadership, tells IM to be a credit to the race Same values of leadership as Frederick Douglass Slide 15 14. Brother Jacks Glass Eye Shows that the Brotherhood is as blind to the truth as Bledsoe and the college were literal and figurative lack of vision (also shown by Rev. Barbee and the statue of the Founder) Reference to IMs first Brotherhood speech: theyve dispossessed each one of us of one eye from the day we were born Slide 16 15. Darkness/Blindness The inability to see the truth, in the dark IM blindly follows each different cause until his realization Ambition will blind you to the truth Blindfolds during the Battle Royale The College Blind Rev. Barbee and the statue of the founder with dull, empty eyes Brotherhood Jacks glass eye, blinded by the spotlight during his speech The hole realizes he is invisible and has finally reached the full extent of the darkness that he has figuratively been living in Slide 17 16. Light/Vision The truth is the light and the light is the truth Lighting his things on fire in the hole at the end there is still hope for vision now that he has had his realization Surrounded by 1369 lights he has seen the light, been enlightened understands his identity and values now, has stopped blindly following other causes No longer invisible Now illuminated