Summary-and-Analysis-of-Chapters

SummaryandAnalysisofPrologueandChapters1-2PrologueSummary:ThePrologueisanintroductiontothecomplexnarrationofhowonemancametorecognizehisowninvisibility.Itbeginsbyacknowledginginvisibilityandproceedstodescribethestateofthenarrator'slifeasitwillbeafterthefinalchapterbutbeforetheEpilogue.Thusthetwenty-fivechapterswhichfollowthePrologueexplaintothereadertheeventswhichputthenarratorundergroundwherehecurrentlyliving.Hefirstdescribeswhathemeansbyinvisible.Heisnotaghostoramanwithtransparentskin.Heisinvisiblebyvirtueofhowothersreacttohim.Theydonotaccepthisrealityandthusliveasthoughtheydonotseehim.Hegivesamoredirectexamplebyexplaininghowhealmostkilledawhitemanwhomhebumpedintoonthestreet.Hecontinuedtoattackthewhitemanaslongasthemanrefusedtoapologizeandkeptinsultinghim.Thenarratorthenrealizedthatthemandoesnotseehimasanindividualandthenarratorwalkedawaylaughingatthethoughtthatthemanwasalmostkilledbyafigmentofhisimagination.Thenarratortakeshisrevengeonsocietyinsilent,unsuspectingways,suchasstealingelectricityfromapowercompanybywiringhisroomfulloflightbulbs.Heresolvestocovereventhefloorofhisundergroundholewithbulbs,outofspiteandadesiretoholdandcontrolasmuchlightaspossible.Lightistruthandviceversa,heclaims.Inthisway,hishibernationwillbewarmandwelllitandhewillcontinuetobealive.Musicisanothersourcethroughwhichhegainspowerinhislair.BylisteningtoLouisArmstrong,hehopestofeelhisbodyvibrateandtobecomeawareofanewsenseoftime.Heexplainsthatwhenhesmokesareeferoneday,themusictakesonanewmeaningandheseesintothespacesbetweentime.Hisdreamlikestatefindshimaskingawomanofhisillusionswhatfreedomisandhersontellinghimthathemustlearnitfromhimself.Untilthen,heblamessocietyforhisirresponsibilityandadmitstohisowncowardice.Analysis:Inthenarrator'sdescriptionofwhatmakesaninvisibleman,hepointsoutthatthefaultliesinthebeholderandisaproblemwiththeconstructionofthebeholder'sinnereye.Itisimportanttonotethatheisreferringtothecharacters,suchasReverendBarbee,BrotherJack,andhimself,whowillappearthroughoutthenovelinconnectiontoblindness,realorimagined,andhowthiswillbeacommentaryontheirinnereyemorethanaphysicalillustration.Theothercharacters'perceptionofthenarratorisskewedbecausetheycreateaworldinwhichthenarratorismeanttofulfilltheirdestiniesandchoices;theyneveraskhimforinputorrecognizehisindividuality.Heplaysthepartofthetoolorthepuppetsomanytimesthatheisdriventobumpstrangersonthestreet,asinthecaseoftheblondman,simplyinordertorecognizehisownexistenceintheireyes.Yet,inthecaseoftheblondmanhefailsaswellandrunsawayinthedarkashewilldotimeandtimeagainduringthenovel.Symbolicallyherunsfromboxingringtoboxingring,beginningwiththebattleroyal(inthefirstchapter)andcontinuingthroughtohisfightwiththeblondman.Hismemoryoftheprizefighteragainsttheyokelisanimportantallegoryheprovides.Thenarratoristheyokelinthenarrativewhoisbeatenroundafterrounduntilherecognizeshisabilitytoexistoutsideofthescientificallycategorizedworldheliveswithin,mostrecognizablyrepresentedbytheBrotherhood.Thepowerstructurethenbecomesmorefluidandtheyokelescapeshistraditionalrole.Thenarratorthusavoidsclassificationbecauseheexistsbetweenitandoutsideofit,similartohisheightenedabilitytoexperiencethetimeandspaceinsideofmusic.Hecommentsthatheneitherisdeadorsuspended.Insteadhefulfillsmoreofadead-in-livingstagewhichBrotherJackwilladvisehimagainstinthestory.Overcomingthedefinitionsenforceduponhim,helivesthroughthelighthesteals,theknowledge,whichhehasbeguntorealizeisfoundonlyinhimself.Whilesmokingthereefer,heimaginesaoldwomanwholovedherslavemasteralthoughhehadimpregnatedher.Thenarratorfindsitamazingthatshehasfoundfreedomthroughthatloveandhopestounderstandherdefinition.Butherdefinitionwillnotworkforhimandhisquestioningupsetsher.Bytheepilogue,heturnsthosequestionsinwardandthoughhedoesnotfindadefinitiveanswer,helooksintherightplace.Untilthattime,hewillstillfearthetreadofRasandRinehartbehindhim,characterswhoheisforcedtofaceinhisnarrativeandwhohaunthimintherolehetakesonafterwards.Inordertoconquerallofthesefears,heunderstandstheneedtoweavetogetherhiswordsandhislifeintoawhole.Chapter1Summary:Thefirstchapterprovidesquiteacontrasttothenovel'sPrologueasthenarratortakesthereaderbacktohisexperiencesasanaivehighschoolstudent.Thechapterfocusesonagatheringofthetown'smostinfluentialwhitecitizensheldthedayafterthenarrator'sgraduation.Becauseofthenarrator'swell-receivedorationatgraduation,heisaskedtorepeathisspeechatthegathering,whichhedeemsagreathonor.Uponarrivingatthefancyballroom,helearnsthatbeforehisspeechhemustfirstparticipateinthebattleroyaltobefoughtbyseveralblackboyshiredfortheoccasion.Theboysareledintothemainhallwherethenarratorisshockedatthedrunkennessofmanyofthetown'smostrespectedmembers.Halfnaked,theboysareonlypartofthenight'sentertainment.Pushedtothefrontofthehall,theyarebroughtintofullviewofanaked,blondwomanwhoisexpectedtodanceforthecrowd.Theincrediblehumiliationofthescenecausesmostoftheboystowanttorunawaybuttheyarekeptinplaceasthewhitemenofthegroupchasetheterrifiedwomanaroundtheroom.Thenexteventofthenightdirectlyinvolvesthena