Invisible Man
Chapter Fifteen
The narrator is woken up by a disturbing sound that is pounding into his head by seven-thirty. He also looks for something to pound back. He says he needs to hurry as he needs to do shopping, and gets Mary’s money before calling Brother Jack for his instructions. He notices something for the first time a small Negro bank.
He is surprised that Mary will have something like that. He views it as having a mess in a clean environment. He quickly gathers up the mess of parts and coins to throw it away outside.
Mary calls the narrator from the hall and tells him there is some hot water to wash his face on the stove and some coffee. He wants to talk with Mary about his rent but she says she should not worry about it.
The narrator then offers to give her a hundred-dollar bill. He lies to Mary that he won the money through a lottery. Mary then says his luck is changing. She is then distracted by cockroaches ravaging her apartment.
The narrator gets his loads and leaves and tries to get rid of the pieces of the offensive “bank” he has broken. He drops it in the street and he is called back to pick it up. He then decides to keep it in his briefcase and throw it away later.
As he moves on the street, he sees a caption in the morning paper, “Violent Protest Over Harlem Eviction.” The narrator is referred to in the newspaper as an unknown “rabble rouser” who had disappeared in the excitement. He then enters a clothing store where he selects some clothes and shoes for himself.
After this, he calls Brother Jack who tells him to go to a number on the Upper East Side where he will find a room. He is to read some of the Brotherhood’s literature books in preparation for a speech to be delivered at Harlem that night.
The narrator is welcomed to the building by a woman already waiting for him. It is the apartment gotten for him by the Brotherhood. He wonders what he is going to do with the whole apartment after the lady takes him around the apartment.
The place is well furnished and has all the conveniences. He takes his birth and then goes over the Brotherhood’s books and pamphlets in preparation for the rally at Harlem in the night.
Chapter Sixteen
The narrator is picked up by Brother Jack and other brothers at 7.30 pm and they board a taxi to Harlem. They later gather in a warehouse where other brothers talk and the narrator is expected to talk last. He sees himself as a new person in a new dress, new name, and new apartment.
He might not be able to even greet Mary if he sees her. Brother Jack asks him whether he has gone through the materials and he answers in the affirmative. He tells him to watch the others before doing his presentation.
The narrator goes out to the alleyway and sees three policemen and thinks it is necessary to inform Brother Jack about it. When he enters, everybody is still in groups and there is a boy that has a dog.
This reminds him of a dog he knew at home Named Master. The narrator compares the dog with Brother Jack whom he likes but doesn’t trust.
They are asked to go on stage and Brother Jack gestures to the speakers to take a seat on the stage. The narrator sights policemen within the audience and he is worried that he might be recognized as the one that caused problems on the day of eviction at Harlem.
He goes further to enquire from a member who tells him that they are there to give them protection. The crowd is becoming restive.
It is now the turn of the narrator to make his speech. He mounts the stage and the light on the stage is so strong that he can’t even see the audience but can hear their voices. Brother Jack introduces him to the audience.
He has forgotten all the methods and the scientific approaches the Brotherhood took him through. He has a bad start as he doesn’t know how to make use of the microphone until somebody comes to tell him not to move closer to the microphone.
He makes use of the Southern style of giving a speech he is used to. He explains the reasons why blacks are thought of as being common and ignorant when in the real sense of it, they are uncommon for allowing themselves to be treated poorly.
He goes further to explain that they have tried to dispossess the blacks of their manhood and womanhood; “Of our childhood and adolescence”. He says this is the time to resist so that they are not dispossessed of their brains. There are responses from the audience every time he makes vital points in his speech.
He makes use of an analogy to illustrate what the current situation needs. He says the blacks are like one-eyed brothers walking down opposite sides of the street and someone starts throwing bricks and they start blaming themselves and fighting.
He says they are mistaken because there is a third party. He recommends that they need to come together to be their brother’s keepers to win the war against them.
The narrator feels fulfilled with his speech, but when he is through with it, some of the members of the Brotherhood criticize the speech that it is too impassioned and not scientific enough. Brother Jack on his own is satisfied with it.
He only says that the narrator will receive more training and intended indoctrination from Brother Hambro for some months to come. He will continue to collect his salary but should stay away from Harlem.
When they leave there, Brother Jack calls him aside and tells him that he should not be worried. He says his speech tonight is a test that he passed. He also tells him that he is going to find Brother Hambro interesting and that they should see the brother first thing the following morning that he has been informed about it.
When he gets home he is tired and takes a hot shower, then lies on the bed. Instead of him sleeping, his mind goes back to the rally. He tries to measure his performance at the rally and says he has said the right thing, if not for those members of the Brotherhood. He prepares himself for a good outing henceforth.
He makes up his mind to work with Brother Hambro since he is determined to have a good appearance. He also thinks about Dr. Bledsoe and Mr. Norton concludes that with what they did to him, they only launched him into the limelight.