Saturday, January 26, 2008

Invisible Man - Quote

"Pulling on my overcoat I got down my prized brief case from the closet. It was still as new as the night of the battle royal, and sagged now as I placed the smashed bank and coins inside and locked the flap"(327).

"'What is it?' I called, dropping to the floor and reaching frantically for the broken pieces..."(320).


These quotes are from when the narrator smashes the black statue to pieces and coins and metal are scattered on the floor. These lines show a direct relation to the battle royal in the begining of the novel. It is just like when he scrambled on the floor to retrieve the fake money on the electric carpet. The black statue eating the coins is representing him and how blacks will do the will of the whites for money and how whites are in control of them as long as they feel like they are being rewarded. When he smashes this symbolic statue and tries to get rid of it in the streets, it signifies him trying to break free of the role of many blacks at the time. But, it is brought back to him every time he trys to toss it and he can not get rid of it, just like he can not get rid of his role of just doing the will of whites.

The package of broken metal and coins is connected with when he first enters the city as well. He sees black men running around the streets with things tied to their wrists. He imagines them to be coins and now he is the one running around with a bag of coins. He saw them as chained to the pouches like fleeing prisoners. That is what he is like now with his package of coins. He is still chained and is being tricked by whites.

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