Journal Post #3

 In the Invisible Man, the main character is influenced by many fatherly figures. But these influences have caused confusion to the main character. Starting from his grandfather's advice to  “overcome ‘em with yeses, undermine ‘em with grins, agree ‘em to death and destruction, let ‘em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open” to Jack saying to be the community. Invisible Man is surrounded by conflict and confusion. In the novel, Brother Jack, the Founder, and Bledsoe are all people who try to push the veil further in place; they are the "white old man" in the poem Cross. Hughes writes in his poem, Cross, "If I ever cursed my white old man I take my curses back. If ever cursed my black old mother...but now I wished her well". The"black old mother" mentioned in the poem represents people such as the Veteran and Mary. They are the people who try to tell IM to "Be [his] own father". But IM is always in a constant struggle. He is always between the lines on following his own dreams and following that of the community. In the novel, IM made a speech for the Brotherhood in his own style. People and the Brotherhood liked it but the Brotherhood didn't like the way IM presented his speech. They said his style wasn't scientific. So they sent him to learn their style and until he completed his training, he couldn't speak for the Brotherhood. IM deferred his dream and followed the wish of the community. In the poem Dream Deferred, the dream of the community also is deffered. And it doesn't know if the dream deffered is going to "dry up...stink...maybe it sags...Or...explode."  IM's dream is deferred for the good of the community what will happen? Will his dream explode or "just sag"?

Journal Post #2

Commentary
In pages 34-37, Ellison uses diction such as "loneliness"', "moonlight", and "recalled" to create a sense of nostalgia. He also uses alliteration, writing "How the grass...how the mocking...how the moon...how the bell...grassy lawn". The use of how and the words before the word "I've recalled it often, here in my hole:How" create a nostalgic tone. However in pages 173-177, the Arthur uses dialect and inversion to give an upbeat and familiar tone. "Hell, yes! The bear. Caint you see these patches where he's been calling at my behind?". Although the topic is serious, Ellisons's use of dialect create a kind of comical tone. Even in the song "What Did I Do to be So Black and Blue", the topic is about the unfairness Armstrong is getting due to his skin. The topic is serious but the song is very upbeat and nostalgic. Ellison by using alliteration also creates nostalgia. In pages 36, "why is it that I can recall in all that island...And why...Why", the repetition of why and juxtaposition of the greeness and dryness all creates sense the nostalgic tone. This is very similar to the jazz tone.

Journal Post#1

Commentary
The grandfather tells the protagonist to be a servile black man, to act according to the stereotypes and bounds of white perception. This advice however is not good because it tells the narrator to deny himself. It causes him to act the stereotypical role assigned to him. In Chapter one, the narrator follows his grandfather’s advice and thus brings harm to himself. The narrator was called to make a speech but before the speech he was told to fight with blindfolds and chase after coins. And after the fights, he is called to make his speech. He made his speech even though the white people were laughing and didn't care about what he was saying. He continued on even though blood spilled from his mouth. The only thought he had was whether his speech would be eloquent enough to impress the whites. He denied himself his wants and only thought about the desires and wants of the white. He followed the advice thus effacing and harming himself.