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"?