Friday, September 16, 2016
Steps towards the Prologue
In class we have discussed the prologue and how it the Narrator seems completely different in the prologue compared to the other chapters of the book. On top of that it seems that after almost every chapter our Narrator seems to be a different person. There is of course the idea of "invisibility" and you could argue that the Narrator progresses from a very eager member of society who is ready to enter the field of established power to a person who is seen but really is "invisible" and falls from the world of recognition and power. While his argument is totally valid, I would just like to look at the smaller changes between chapters and look at his character development.
In the opening chapters it seems that the Narrator is on top of the world, in his opinion. He is very optimistic about life and is pretty naive in the the sense of "the game". In the battle royale scene, he doesn't really notice that the audience is messing with him. He gives his speech with the intent of impressing all the important people in town, but he doesn't realize that they are there for entertainment -- that he is being mocked as a form of that entertainment.
In chapter 2, we see him in a similar light. He is super cocky and tries to look good to impress Mr. Norton. He thinks "Of course I knew he was a founder, but I knew also that it was advantageous to flatter rich white folks, Perhaps he'd give me a large tip, or a suit, or a scholarship next year"(p38). Similar to the speech, he just wants to impress people to look like an educated intelligent black student. But again he lacks understanding of the bigger picture, and it seems that his short term goals are going to be his downfall. This want to impress Norton can be seen as the cause for his expulsion. In order to give Norton what he wants and impress him, he takes Norton to Trueblood, which in the end gets him kicked out of school.
Even after getting expelled he continues the over-the-top optimism. He sees it as a good opportunity to work in New York and gain experience before going back to college. This blind sense of optimism creates a stark contrast to his first personality change. This change happens after the Narrator discovers what was actually in the letters. This event causes the Narrator to switch from the happy-go-lucky optimism to a deep hatred for Bledsoe and him swearing revenge upon him. This very rapid change is rather confusing, and it is the first step, of many, towards the Narrator from the prologue.
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This notion of he narrator's unrealistic, almost delusional optimism is one that resonates for many chapters throughout the majority of what we have read of the book so far. Even after such an abrupt and shocking expulsion from his beloved college, he is quick to jump back on his feet in New York, and immediately begins fantasizing about his triumphant return back to campus. This deluded sense of his return to campus only makes it even harder for the narrator to accept the Bledsoe's letter that Emerson shows him.
ReplyDeleteI definitely like to analyze this bizarre progression of the narrator! You mentioned, though, that he is cocky in the first chapters. I think that he is just so blinded by his desire of approval. He actually seems to have very low self-esteem because he constantly wants to be validated. But after he takes defeat after defeat from Norton, Bledsoe, and Emerson, he begins to realize his need for self-empowerment and we see this beginning to form in the more recent chapters.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the narrator we are seeing after he discovers the letters becomes more and more similar to what he was like in the prologue. You highlight the key point of him being so naive in the first chapters which the reader can keep track of throughout the book and see how it changes. You mentioned that the change occurs after he discovers the letters and their contents, do you think the hospital scene and "operation" could play any role in the change of his character? That scene certainly stuck our for me as a change in perspective by the narrator.
ReplyDeleteThe Narrator definitely does seem to become more like he is in the prologue. I think that after the operation thing, the narrator also seems to be less inhibited and more vocal about his thoughts (like his speech during the eviction). The Narrator still has more to go, but he's becoming more like the end result.
ReplyDeleteAlso important to mention that although the narrator changes into a more disillusioned, passionate character, he still has instances of that need for validation/hope for the future in Harlem.
ReplyDeleteI think this change occurs because of a sense of betrayal from Bledsoe. Although the narrator had been abused by white supremacy throughout his life he hadn't really felt the immediate repercussions until he discovered what Bledsoe had written in his letter.
ReplyDeletenice post! I find the change the narrator goes through very interesting, and i liked the idea that in every chapter the narrator seems to develop more. I definitely agree that once the narrator realizes that Bledsoe betrayed him, that moment becomes a pivotal point in the novel. But one can also see that every single event that has happened shapes him in some way. Also, though he becomes more skeptical after Bledsoe's betrayal, i think that he doesn't fully lose his blindness or develop his identity until after Brother Jack begins to oppose his ideas as seen in the last few chapters we have read.
ReplyDeletenice post! I find the change the narrator goes through very interesting, and i liked the idea that in every chapter the narrator seems to develop more. I definitely agree that once the narrator realizes that Bledsoe betrayed him, that moment becomes a pivotal point in the novel. But one can also see that every single event that has happened shapes him in some way. Also, though he becomes more skeptical after Bledsoe's betrayal, i think that he doesn't fully lose his blindness or develop his identity until after Brother Jack begins to oppose his ideas as seen in the last few chapters we have read.
ReplyDeleteI think even though we see a change in the narrator when viewing the letters was certainly very drastic, we have to remember that after he joins up with the Brotherhood, he goes right back to being overly optimistic and eager to please.
ReplyDelete