Invisible Man: Female Analysis

Sybil

Sybil of Greek mythology was originally a mouthpiece for the Olympic gods, but in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, she is at the narrator's disposal to discover his fate within the clutches of the Brotherhood. Her husband, George, is an official of high standing within the Brotherhood, but it is apparent when Sybil discusses her marriage with George that not only is she blissfully unaware of her husband's political secrecy (making her a willing, if ignorant, informant), but life is not going so well for her in general. She apparently "wouldn't be missed" (p. 399)  away from her husband's side.

While Sybil's inappropriate behavior when she is alone with the narrator could be attributed to her suffering private life, what she actually stands for only furthers Ellison's negative portrayal of the sexual woman with her being white on top of everything only exacerbating the disgust. Once she is properly intoxicated at the hands of the narrator, he tries to extract information from the woman, realizing too late that he has chosen someone who not only is too drunk to divulge any secrets but does not know any to begin with. On top of that, Sybil's rape fantasy with its specification of a "buck" (p. 401) at the perpetrator is a callback to the woman in red, who wants to have an affair with a Black man based off of societal stereotypes. In the end, Sybil's presence is not only ironic given the spiritual connotation of her historical counterpart (and likely namesake) but further sullies the image of women in Invisible Man and paints them still as hypersexual beings with an extra layer of taboo.

Invisible Man: Chapter 25 & Epilogue

Chapter 25

1. What causes the riot? Ras started it, but there were a lot of stories floating around (police brutality), interracial relationship issues).
2. Think about the Book of Revelations in the Bible. In what ways is Ras like one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse? Ras is like one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse (specifically, Famine, in his drive to convert Harlem's residents to his Black nationalist movement) because his final stand in Harlem and Invisible Man itself brings chaos and what the narrator believe to be like "the end of days" to Harlem. Ras is like Famine also because he arrived "upon a great black horse" (p. 431) when approaching the narrator for the last time. The fact that Ras is Famine can also be yet more social commentary against the Communist Party due to the fact that Famine, other than its literal meaning, is symbolic for societal class gaps and the narrator and Ras are at odds for their activism beliefs as always. 
3. What drives the narrator underground? The narrator is driven underground following his spearing of Ras and the subsequent pursuit by Ras' cronies in order to hide.
4. What does the narrator do with the papers in his briefcase? How is this action symbolic? The narrator burns the papers while he is underground. This is symbolic because the papers -- his high school certificate, Clifton's Sambo doll, and the paper with his Brotherhood identity from Brother Jack -- all represent different facets of his identity. His high school certificate was his appeasement of white society and becoming a "good Black" because he thought he would be treated better being educated (he wasn't); Clifton's Sambo doll represents the narrator's Southern heritage and the stereotypes the narrator could not escape; the paper with his "Brotherhood name" on it showed white appeasement once more, but also the narrator's effort to change himself for what he thought would be for the good of the community.

Epilogue

1. In what ways has the novel come full circle? The invisible man/narrator has returned to his original narrative flow where he acknowledges that he is telling his story to an audience. He also goes back to discuss the dying words of his grandfather, though in a different light this time: rather than pushing the "advice" to the back of his head and denying it, he acknowledges that it is a harsh reality for black men but even staying the course could lead to turmoil. (Mr. Norton also reappears, which is sad.)
2. Is this a satisfactory ending for the novel? Why or why not? I did not like the end of the novel, because while loose ends were wrapped up and some major events were revisited, the tale ends on a dismal note because the narrator has ended up in a place worse than where he started with interpersonal relations at the beginning of his journey.

Invisible Man: Chapters 23-24

Chapter 23

1. What symbolism do you find in the narrator’s purchase of dark glasses? The narrator is meant to see through them, but his vision is distorted by the item itself and distorts his identity to others, who believe that he is someone known as 'Rinehart'. The darkness of the lenses symbolizes the concealment of identity (i.e. his "invisibility") and how he is treated somewhat better now that he is in touch (in a way) with the darkness the Brotherhood did not allow him to tap into.
2. What are Rinehart’s various identities? "Rine", "Rine the runner/number man/briber/gambler," "Reverend B.P. Rinehart," and "Daddy" (to a prostitute; he is presumably her pimp).
3. Is there any symbolism in Rinehart’s name (rind and heart)? The rind is a tough outer layer (like that on a fruit) and a heart is self-explanatory. Rinehart's name symbolizes the thick outer skin the narrator has adopted in the wake of being cast out from the Brotherhood and Clifton's death, while he still preserves his true identity and beliefs (his "heart") on the inside.
4. Has Rinehart learned to play an identity game? Rinehart has definitely learned how to play an identity game, separating his personal life of being a vice-loving immoral gambler from his public image of being the reverend/spiritual leader of the Holy Way Station.

Chapter 24

1. Contrast the narrator’s encounter with Sybil with that of the woman in red whose husband came home early. Both women are married, though the woman in red seems marginally happier with her marriage while Sybil supposedly "wouldn't be missed" at the party. Both women also fetishize the narrator, though Sybil is at least intoxicated before she expresses her sexual desires, and seems to be physically attracted to the narrator for more than his race (calling him "beautiful"). However, Sybil does not get her wish fulfilled by the narrator like the woman in red does, as the narrator is attempting to use her to for personal (non-sexual) gain.
2. What is the significance of the last line in the chapter? The significance of the last line ("I ran  through the night, ran within myself. Ran.") shows the internal turmoil of the narrator searching for what he wants from both the Brotherhood in terms of power and himself in regards to becoming comfortable with his invisibility. His franticness to reach a solution quickly is characterized by the the fact he "ran" (p. 414).

Invisible Man: Obedience (Brotherhood)

Prompt

The Brotherhood wants to tell the people in Harlem what to think, rather than allow them to draw their own conclusions. The military is also an organization where people are expected to simply obey orders and are not supposed to think for themselves unless they are of an upper rank. School officials expect students to obey rules and do not usually anticipate that a student will think about a rule before complying.

Brainstorm additional situations in which unquestioning obedience is expected. When is it okay to simply expect obedience? When should people be encouraged to think for themselves? How can a person tell when being told not to "think" is an attempt to put down or limit opportunities and actions of a particular group?

Response

Situations involving issues of assumed public safety like natural disasters and terrorist situations require absolute obedience from officials that are (presumably) more knowledgeable than the general public in their field. If someone without the proper training were to act "off the cuff" and possibly endanger others, it is in the best interest of the whole to abide by what those in power instruct them to do, as they have likely been appointed to their position based on their knowledge and/or experience. People should be encouraged to think for themselves in situations that do not involve endangerment, however, because a much smaller group of people will be affected by the decision made than if it was an emergency. A person can tell when they are being oppressed by another group by being told not to "think" if other persons in similar situations have been allowed to exercise free will without harmful consequences (or even benefits for doing so).

Invisible Man: Chapters 20-22

Chapter 20 

1. The narrator has been away from Harlem for several months. What “emergency” calls him back downtown? Brother Tod has disappeared, leading to a loss in Brotherhood leadership that is trying to be usurped by Ras the Exhorter and his black nationalist group. 
2. What changes have taken place in the movement since he left. (Note how things have changed in the Jolly Dollar Bar.) The influence of the movement has lost some footing in Harlem, with things that were common knowledge about The Brotherhood before (like their greeting of "Good evening, Brothers") have fallen into partial obscurity. What people do know of The Brotherhood has led them to believe that their disappearance from the public eye means they got "white fever" and resigned themselves to avoiding helping the black community.  
3. What does Ellison mean when he says that returning to Harlem was “like returning to the city of the dead?” That metaphor highlights the desolation of the district in terms of post-Brotherhood economic affairs and the presence of The Brotherhood itself; the lack of action within both the community following the loss of Brotherhood officials and what is left of The Brotherhood itself in Harlem is so stagnant that the movement is essentially "dead."
4. What is Clifton selling? Clifton is selling cardboard Sambo marionette dolls on the sidewalk.
5. How does the Sambo doll relate to the Sambo bank? The Sambo doll relates to the Sambo bank by being made to profit from entertaining (typically) white audiences.
6. What do you think the doll symbolizes? Consider the fact that it is a puppet whose strings are pulled. The doll symbolizes the control that the white leaders of The Brotherhood had over the black district members, even in their home district. The white members pulled the strings of the black ones, forcing them to do what they wanted.
7. How does Tod Clifton die? What is the narrator’s reaction to his death? Tod Clifton dies at the hands (or rather, the end of a gun) of a police officer, and the narrator wants to help his friend but is forced away. This leads to a long bout of soul-searching on the narrator's part, wondering if The Brotherhood was really worth getting involved with in the first place if this is how one of their most respected black members died.

Chapter 21 

1. Why does the narrator feel guilt over Clifton’s death? He feels guilt over Brother Tod's death because he believes that the anger he felt over Tod's new profession had expedited the man's death by not stepping in to help against the cop.
2. Look at the funeral speech. How many times does the narrator use Clifton’s name? Why so many? The narrator uses Clifton's name so often (22 times in total) in order to humanize him and separate the actual man who has died from the personification of hope that Brother Clifton of The Brotherhood stood for in Harlem.

Chapter 22 

1. Why is the meeting with the Brotherhood described in terms of a dream? The meeting is described in terms of a dream because the meeting has not only been long-awaited (a 'dream' in the positive, non-literal sense) and the haziness of the situation and the narrator's future with The Brotherhood now that he has acknowledges their indifference towards true progress.
2. On p. 463, the members are said to have “flowed in one channel too long and too deeply.” What does this mean? Their "channel" in which The Brotherhood has stayed in has been a focus on social science rather than social activism (which they pretend to focus on in order to gain influence within the communities they inhabit), and they have "flowed... too deeply" by prohibiting any other approach to community outreach that does not directly align with their standoffish ways. 
3. Why does the Brotherhood object to the phrase “personal responsibility?” The Brotherhood objects to the phrase "personal responsibility" because they are not focused on the gains of people's personal interests (particularly when those interests have to do with their minority status), but rather what The Brotherhood considers to be "the good of the whole". Responsibility also suggests direct action, which The Brotherhood has already been proven to be diametrically opposed to.
4. Contrast the reaction of The Brotherhood to the funeral speech to the audience’s reaction to the graduation speech. Has the narrator come full circle? The negative reaction of The Brotherhood when the narrator brings up "personal responsibility" is similar to that of the audience of white men at the Battle Royal when the narrator brings up "equality." However, the narrator actually defends his word choice here, rather than deny that he even said it in the first place like he did at the Battle Royal. His firm stance on what he said rather than what he is "supposed" to say has shown that the narrator has come full circle in terms of experience, but has turned over a new leaf personality-wise.
5. What is the significance of Brother Jack’s glass eye? How does it develop the sight image that is throughout the book? The significance of Brother Jack's glass eye is that it is a front for sight (glass eyes can be indistinguishable from real eyes, especially at first glance) and awareness of social disparities to the public, but actually proves that his sympathies and knowledge of the communities' struggles are fake. It develops the motif of sight further by combining a common symbol for sight (the eye, self-explanatory) and making it artificial.

Invisible Man: Chapters 16-19

Chapter 16 

1. List all the images of blindness in this chapter. What do you think the narrator means when he says he has become “more human?” Images of blindness in this chapter include the anecdote of the prizefighter losing his sight in the ring (p. 258), "then suddenly I was blinded [by the spotlight] and felt myself into the man ahead of me" (p. 262), and the narrator's speech in general (pp. ). The narrator saying that he feels "more human" while speaking means that by being able to speak to a crowd that includes both black and white people that he has been qualified as no longer "less than" because of his racial background.
2. How does the narrator use the image of blindness as the central theme of his speech? The narrator uses the image of blindness as the central theme of the speech 
3. Be prepared to discuss the speech as a further expression of the narrator’s developing identity. 
4. The rewritten quote from James Joyce is often discussed. Do you think that it is the duty of an individual to represent a particular race, gender or group? Do you believe it is more important to concentrate on developing one's individual identity? I do not believe that it is the duty of an unwilling individual to represent a minority group they are a part of. However, if they wish to represent a particular group, it is important that they cultivate an individual identity first as to not only separate themselves from their public image but also to have a positive outlook on the group they are representing as a whole (loving oneself).
5. What is The Brotherhood’s reaction to the speech? What is your personal reaction? What criticism of The Brotherhood is implied here? The Brotherhood does not approve of the narrator's speech because they believe it to be "backwards and reactionary" as well as not complying with their theme of scientific social experimentation. I personally thought the speech was great, especially in terms of uniting the followers of The Brotherhood beyond racial lines. The implied criticism of The Brotherhood here is that they would rather have a speech with limited efficacy that falls within their belief structure rather than a powerful speech that challenges its borders.

Chapter 17 

1. How much time has passed since the narrator’s speech? Four months.
2. Describe Brother Hambro. Brother Hambro is a tall, amicable figure that has risen to prominence in The Brotherhood because of his structured way of thinking that aligns with the ideology of the higher-ranking members of the organization. Because the narrator has not visited Harlem since his speech (meaning that Hambro is not there) and the man was recommended directly from the "board," it is also likely that Brother Hambro is white.
3. What is Ras’ political doctrine and why is it in conflict with that of The Brotherhood? Ras' political doctrine involves black nationalism and an aggressive platform for that, while The Brotherhood refuses to "countenance any aggressive violence" (p. 283) to further their efforts.
4. Who is Tod Clifton? Why do he and the narrator become friends? Note that “tod” means death in German. Why does Ras spare Clifton’s life? Brother Tod is the youth community leader for The Brotherhood and becomes friends with the narrator because not only are they both black, but they want to work together to support the community and The Brotherhood at the same time. Ras spares Clifton's life because he is black like Ras, even though he sides with white people.
5. Ras pleads with the narrator to become a part of black unity and leave The Brotherhood. His arguments are similar to those of Black Panthers and others who came to the political forefront in the 1960s. The Communist Party did, in effect, betray the Blacks who helped build the party in the 1930s. What side do you believe Ellison is supporting? I believe that Ellison is supporting the side of the Black Panthers, as the speech that Ras gives in favor of black unity is much longer (and similar to an author-avatar tract) than it would be if he was not supporting the Black Panthers here. 
6. What is significant about the portrait of Douglass that hangs in Brother Tarp’s office? How is Tarp like Douglass? Like the narrator’s grandfather? The portrait of Frederick Douglass in Tarp's office is significant because it shows that he believes in black progress alongside The Brotherhood's ideals. Douglass is like Brother Tarp in that they both worked for progress into old age and raised themselves up to do so, but Douglass is also like the narrator's grandfather because there was always a loyalty to themselves (identity-wise) and their own progress on top of working for others. Also, Douglass was a former slave like the narrator's grandfather. 

Chapter 18 

1. Consider the symbolism of the link of chain Tarp gives the narrator. In what ways does it link the narrator to Tarp? To his past? Is it significant that Westrum rejects that link? The link is a physical representation of the connection that black people of the time period have to each other and their history of bondage. It links the narrator to Tarp because they both left a situation where they were being punished for a transgression involving a white man, and it links the narrator to Tarp's past as he too has been truly looking for freedom while holding onto (what he can remember of) his past. Wrestrum's rejection of the link shows that he sees himself as above the history and culture of his people, assimilating into what The Brotherhood considers to be acceptable for black men.
2. What seems to cause the fight between Wrestrum and the narrator? What do you think is the REAL reason for this fight? The external cause of the fight is that Wrestrum believes that the narrator has ulterior self-serving motives for being part of The Brotherhood, but the real issue between Wrestrum and the narrator is that Wrestrum himself was not chosen to be interviewed by the magazine.
3. At the end of the chapter, the narrator is sent out of Harlem. Why would The Brotherhood remove a successful member of the party and send him off to lecture on a subject about which he knows so little either by training or personal experience? The Brotherhood wants to either distance the narrator from the organization like Bledsoe did with the university or test the narrator's loyalty to them by seeing how he fairs when he is not dealing with a group of people that will see him as a leader automatically.

Chapter 19 

Note that chapter 19 is a transitional chapter like chapters 7 and 12. This chapter details the narrator’s seduction by the nameless “woman in red.”

1. In what ways is Ellison playing with the idea that white women are drawn to Black men? It's pretty straightforward; the woman wants to have a sexual experience with the narrator (or a black man in general) because it's considered to be a taboo during the time period due to racial stereotypes and social inequality.
2. What reaction does the woman give when her husband comes home? The woman is indifferent to the awkwardness of the situation and still refers to her husband fondly.
3. What is the narrator’s action? The narrator panics, hurrying to get redressed and back down the stairs to go back to the headquarters of The Brotherhood and avoid the situation further.
4. Do you think this chapter is humorous, or is it serious social commentary? I think that the chapter is serious social commentary on the fetishization of the black race. Because black people had been made out to be either animalistic or "exotic" (because of not being white), they are still different from white people in that they are considered a commodity rather than a human being. Sexual stereotypes with black men in particular have been harmful historically, as the idea of black men being "savages" unable to control themselves has led to lynchings under the (primarily false) accusations that they raped a white woman.

Invisible Man: Chapters 13-15

Chapter 13 

1. Peter Wheatstraw foreshadows the encounter with the yam seller. How do these encounters differ? What changes are revealed in the narrator’s identity? How is his change in identity linked with his desire to show Bledsoe as a fraud? The encounters between the yam seller and Wheatstraw differ because the narrator no longer wants to hide his Southern heritage claiming that "[he] is what [he] is". This change in identity links with his desire to reveal Bledsoe as a fraud because he emulated Bledsoe's act, putting in on (supposedly) out of fear for powerful men. Now that he's not afraid of them, he's not afraid of retribution from Bledsoe.
2. In the eviction scene, the narrator makes his second speech of the novel. Study it carefully. Compare it to the first speech. Take notes about the narrator’s developing identity. While the first speech was made to a white audience on the virtues of "social responsibility" and accommodating white people (more like letting them walk all over black people), this speech is made to a black audience that has already been roused to anger over the eviction. Now, the narrator realizes that despite everything that he/the Provos have done for the benefit of white people, in the end, they receive no benefits from it. The narrator also continues being unafraid of "powerful men", even when the white man has his pistol on him. 
3. How does the narrator meet Brother Jack? The Brotherhood is a thinly veiled version of the Communist Party. Richard Wright, Ellison’s first mentor, was an active member in the Communist Party. At Wright’s request, Ellison wrote a number of articles for leftist publications between 1937 and 1944, but never joined. He objected to the Communist Party’s limitations of individuality and personal expression. The narrator meets Brother Jack on a street corner following the forced eviction. The two of them end up sharing a meal at a cafeteria nearby.
4. What new piece of paper replaces the letters from Bledsoe as the narrator’s identity? The envelope Brother Jack gives him with a number to call for the organization he is trying to recruit the narrator into.

Chapter 14 

1. What pushes the narrator to accept The Brotherhood’s offer? The fact that Mary Rambo is taking care of the narrator (being short of money already) and he was not contributing at all.
2. Note that the building is called the Chthonia. In Greek mythology, this is another name for Hades’ realm, the underworld. What descriptions and images can you find that convey the sense of entering an underworld type of realm? Why is entering the world of The Brotherhood like entering the underworld? The entryway was lit by "dim bulbs set behind frosted glass", similar to how when one is dying there is supposedly a light to go towards. The soundproof elevator and lack of knowledge about the direction (up or down, as elevators go) continue the idea of unfamiliarity and relative darkness. Entering the world of The Brotherhood is similar to entering the underworld of Greek mythology because of the darkness and protection surrounding the area either to keep people from entering against their wishes or keep members insulated in the organizatio).
3. The phone number has been replaced by a new name in an envelope? Why? Why are we never told of this new name? The new name is the "identity" of the narrator as given to him by the members of The Brotherhood. We are never told of this name because as this story is being told in the past tense, he no longer associates with the organization and lets them have that control over him.
4. How does the party scene remind the reader of how limited and/or hypocritical most whites are in the understanding of the treatment of Blacks? The (white) members of The Brotherhood claim to be for civil rights for people of color, but not only control what the narrator is called/told to talk about/what to represent in The Brotherhood but also commit several racist microaggressions like asking the narrator to sing (specifically spirituals) and Emma claiming that the narrator should be "a little blacker".

Chapter 15 

1. Think about the symbolism of the Sambo bank. Is it related to Clifton’s Sambo doll? What about the fact that it belonged to Mary Rambo? What about the bank’s “grinning mouth” that swallows coins? Think back to the Battle Royal in Chapter 1. The Sambo doll is related more to the Battle Royal than the bank is, highlighting the fact that for black people to survive in this time, a lot of them had to work for the entertainment of white people (dancing in the case of the doll, fighting in the BR). The Sambo bank and its "grinning mouth" symbolize the fact that black people have to do this essentially with a smile on their faces, despite being complicit in their own dehumanization. They need the money bad enough. Mary owning it is a sign that she has bought into the work as well, either currently or at some point in her life, understanding that, well, that's just how things were at the time.

Invisible Man: Chapters 10-12

Chapter 10 

Ellison says that beginning with chapter 10, the novel begins to rely heavily on expressionism. In very simple terms, expressionism uses concrete objects to attempt to objectify abstract inner feelings. Therefore, objects in the novel function as complex multifaceted symbols. Remember that chapter 10 and 11 are not to be perceived as realistic, but rather as expressionistic.

1. Consider the racial connotations of Liberty Paints. Think about the company name, trademark, slogans, government contracts, and Optic White. What do you think the company symbolizes? Liberty Paint's slogan of "Keep America Pure" highlights the irony of the idea of a pure America when, in reality, even white people immigrated from other countries to the States (thus ruining the "purity" with outside influence). Its trademark/logo, a screaming eagle, symbolizes the radical patriotism that was prevalent for the time period, where people would stoop to violence (screaming = violent speaking) in order to maintain conservative values. Liberty Paint as a whole symbolizes a very nativist way of thinking that was the norm at the time for racist white people.
2. Why has the company been hiring Blacks? The company has been hiring black people because they do not have to worry about union relations and wages that way - at the time, industrial unions were mostly segregated.
3. Think about how Optic White is manufactured. What do the 10 drops of “dead black liquid” symbolize? The 10 drops of "dead black liquid" symbolize the blood of the slaves that allowed for white profit/existence, to some extent. It also symbolizes the enormity of slavery in how many people were enslaved under so few people. The black drops spreading out to the sides also symbolize how black people were (and, to an extent, still are) marginalized in America.
4.  Note that Lucius Brockway works deep in the basement of the factory, hidden from view. Is this symbolic? How is Brockway like Bledsoe? How is he different? Brockway working in the basement is similar to Bledsoe in that he runs his division but in the end listens to white people, but is different from Bledsoe in that he actually gives the narrator a chance before sending him away. Working in the basement away from everyone else shows that while he appears to be at the bottom of the food chain, Brockway is actually the real creator that no one above knows about.
5. How is Brockway himself like the 10 drops? Brockway himself is like the 10 drops because unless people have dealt with him, they do not know he's there (and are not supposed to, in the grand scheme of things).
6. After the explosion on p. 230, the narrator is thrust “into a wet blast of black emptiness that is somehow a bath of whiteness". How does this immersion of a Black man into a world of whiteness continue the expressionism of the chapter? It continues the expressionism by showing how the black was "empty" and devoid of identity prior to what both the union members thought was necessary, which was a white voice inserted in on its behalf.

Chapter 11 

The expressionist images of chapter 10 are black and white. Here they are death and rebirth.

1. What images of this chapter echo the Battle Royal? The electricity from the "therapy" machine, the enjoyment of the (presumably) white professionals at the narrator's pain, and the loss of identity (for the BR, in a sea of peers; here, by force) echo the Battle Royal.
2. The doctors at the factory hospital shock the narrator until he enters a warm watery world. Look for other images of the womb and birth. Other images of the womb and birth include the struggle of the narrator in the beginning with the machine, crying upon the shock, and the face appearing within the "circle of lights" and case that relates to the crowning of the baby just before they are born from the womb. The electricity that the narrator experiences can also relate to labor contractions.
3. Afterwards, the narrator is a blank slate with no memory or identity. How do the doctor’s questions develop this image of rebirth? They develop the image of rebirth by first stating who he was/used to be (his name), his mother (where he is from), and Buckeye/Brer representing his childhood and/or his past overall, which he can only remember in fragments that do not string together in a complete manner (in psychology, this is a part of vivid imagery). 
4. Why has the narrator been reborn? What aspects of his old identity have died? The narrator has been reborn in order to make him forget the negligence of the company's faulty pipes that caused the explosion in order to absolve Liberty Paints of responsibility for the event. The aspects of the narrator's old identity that died are his fighting spirit and deep-seated dislike for authority, particularly towards Dr. Bledsoe.  
5. Buckeye the Rabbit is the same as Brer Rabbit. Remember the reference to the Tar Baby in chapter 10? In realizing that he is Buckeye the Rabbit, the narrator finds the wit and strength to escape from the machine. How is the machine like Trueblood’s clock? How does Buckeye the Rabbit embody the folk wisdom of the narrator’s childhood? How has he been reborn into the identity he at first denied upon arriving in New York? The machine is like Trueblood's clock in that he, like Trueblood, wanted freedom but could not escape of his own merit and the heat of both places. The narrator is reborn into the identity that he denied at first because he not only is willing to work as soon as possible in whatever field he can (not necessarily something that requires education like he intended), but he understands that society has created divides to where certain people stagnantly operate on certain levels and is okay with that, rather than wanting to reach that point ("I don't suppose we get around in the same circles"; p. 193). He has become complacent.
6. What lesson has the narrator learned? The narrator has learned that there is nothing to expected out of "important men," and is thus not afraid.

Chapter 12 

1. In what way is the narrator childlike? The narrator is childlike in that he is no longer self-reliant and working with good judgment, as witnessed by the pouring of his waste(?) out on a reverend's head, mistaking him for Dr. Bledsoe.
2. How does he permanently close off the link with his old aspirations and dreams? He does so first by willingly leaving Men's House for Miss Mary's, then with silencing the voices in his head that wanted him to return back to the life that he lost upon coming to New York.

Invisible Man: Chapters 6-9

Chapter 6 

1. What shocking aspects of Bledsoe’s character are revealed to the narrator? He doesn't really believe in black progress, but keeps up appearances of doing so if it means that he gets to retain his power over members of both races.
2. What specific statements does Bledsoe make that show his concern is for himself rather than for the school or for the advancement of other Blacks? "I'll have every Negro in the country hanging from tree limbs by morning if it means staying where I am" (p. 112); "This is a power set-up, son, and I'm at the controls" (p. 111).
3. Read the last paragraph on p. 146 beginning “How did I come to this?” What do you make of the paragraph in terms of the narrator’s struggle to find his identity? I think that this is truly where the veteran's words start to sink in, combining with his grandfather's "traitor" and Dr. Bledsoe's instructions on how to game the system. However, the narrator still believes that he can follow the straight and narrow path to success, regardless of how difficult it may be to do so having gained a new perspective on life in the past 24 hours.

Chapter 7 

1. Who does the narrator meet on the bus to New York? Why does the encounter make him uncomfortable? The narrator meets a veteran he had seen at the Golden Day the previous day when he had been there with Mr. Norton, as well as his traveling companion and attendant, Mr. Crenshaw. This makes the narrator uncomfortable because the veteran had a "violent" tongue, which could possibly ruin the trip (he is also reminded of the events causing his expulsion).
2. On p. 152, the narrator is told New York is “not a place, it’s a dream.” Interpret this statement. New York is conceptualized as a northern paradise for black southern men to somewhat escape from the lasting effects of racism as well as a goal for these men to reach in terms of intellectual and social experiences ("you might even dance with a white girl!").
3. How does the fate of the vet parallel the fate of the narrator? Think of how both are controlled. Both of them were told to leave on short notice, and (according to what the veteran thinks) had to do so following the altercation with Mr. Norton at the Golden Day. The two of them are also being controlled by the influence of men: the veteran has Crenshaw physically, and the narrator has the expectations and recommendations of Dr. Bledsoe.
4. Reread the final paragraph on p. 153. What do you make of the vet’s advice? I think the vet's advice is very similar to how Dr. Bledsoe operates as a whole - in fact, the whole conversation between the vet and the narrator is practically a nicer, more advisory version of the argument that took place between Dr. Bledsoe and the narrator the night before.
5. On p. 155, the vet says, “there’s always an element of crime in freedom.” What does this statement mean to you? Do you agree or disagree? I think that the idea of "crime in freedom" comes from the fact that when slaves were taken away/fled from their masters, they were considered to be stolen or lost property of the white man, and that was the crime. It also has to do with the principle of the ends justifying the means when something must be done for the good of the whole. I agree with the latter (as the former is obviously backwards, racist doctrine.)
6. Describe the narrator’s encounter with Ras. The narrator is instantly struck with fear and "[an] emptiness widened in [his] stomach" (p. 124) at the situation in front of him, which involved Ras (who spoke with a West Indian accent) leading a crowd to protest while the policemen present just ignored it all.

Chapter 8 

1. In the first six chapters, the narrator’s identity is defined by the scholarship. Now the letters define it. Describe them. The letters were tightly sealed by Dr. Bledsoe and the secretaries at every office he visited in hopes of meeting trustees regarded the contents "oddly," dismissing the narrator after reading them.
2. Notice the narrator’s decision to get a watch. How does fit with his new identity? Look for other images to watches and time. The watch fits in with the narrator's new identity because he currently structures his schedule around the time and availability of others that he is aiming to please. Other images of watches/time include a clock with "searching eyes" and how the narrator handles his business first (in the mornings) and pleasure later (seeing the city in the afternoons).
3. How does the narrator deny his Southern heritage? Why does he do this? The narrator denies his heritage by changing his way of speaking, including losing certain terms within the vernacular of southern black culture, regardless of the fact that he is educated. The narrator believes that if he behaves like he would in the South, then they would see the South as where he belongs (or possibly that he is not educated enough for the North).
4. Why do you think the narrator dreams of his grandfather? I think that the narrator dreams of his grandfather (and awakes depressed) because he is purposefully not heeding the old man's warning and acting subservient to the trustees and their staff, instead asking to be seen on relatively equal terms regardless of race.

Chapter 9 

1. How does Peter Wheatstraw (with plans) make the narrator homesick? He makes the narrator homesick by singing a song similar to the ones the narrator had heard back on campus in the South. His behavior is also reminiscent of that of the veterans at the Golden Day.
2. What is the symbolism of Wheatstraw’s blueprints? They represent the hopes and dreams of people, and the trashing of them could either symbolize moving on in life to bigger goals (larger projects) or giving up entirely. The narrator thinks of his new identity when he replies that one has to "stick to the plan" (p. 135).  
3. How does the narrator continue to deny his Southern heritage? He does not choose the special at the drugstore counter (though he specifically is proud of himself for "resisting" it), which is comprised of foods commonly eaten in the South. Even the counterman says that "I would have sworn that you were a pork chop man" (p. 137).
4. Look at the details from Emerson’s office. Emerson's office is part of an importing firm, so he has many different different artifacts from around the globe, displayed flamboyantly to fully highlight their colors and worth. In his main office, Emerson has an aviary of tropical birds on display.
5. Why does Emerson keep referring to Huck Finn? In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both Jim (who is black) and Huckleberry (who is white, and made clear here to be Emerson) are trying to escape from persecution: Jim is leaving the South to stop being a slave while Huck is escaping (on the surface) his abusive father and (as a whole) the standards of society.
6. Walt Whitman wrote a series of homoerotic poems called the Calamus poems. Can you make any inferences about young Emerson from his reference to the Calamus Club? Judging by the reference and the fact that Emerson is "looking [the narrator] up and down" and mentioning the quality of his build might allude to at least bisexuality, if not out-and-out homosexuality. Emerson's "long, hip-swinging stride" is also mentioned - hip movement is commonly a feminine attribute, which has stereotypically homosexual connotations with males doing it. The fact that he is also seeing an "analyst" (p. 143; possibly psychology?) could also allude to the idea that he is attempting to repress certain aspects of himself that are publicly seen in a negative light, like homosexuality. Emerson has a strained relationship with his father as well, apparently... I could write an essay here.
7. Why might young Emerson identify with the narrator and Blacks in general? During this time period (and for a long time afterwards... and still, somewhat, to this day), people that were openly homosexual or presented themselves with stereotypically-feminine characteristics in public were ridiculed by the vast majority of the population, despite that just being who they were. Oftentimes, they would cover up indicators of their sexual preference in order to come off as more "respectable", just like how the narrator is trying to distance himself from the South both physically and in his behavior to become successful in New York.

Invisible Man: Chapters 3-5

Chapter 3

1. Look carefully at the descriptions of the Golden Day. What is it? What has it been in the past? Is there any symbolism in the description? The Golden Day is currently a bar/brothel, but it had been (and still somewhat was) an insane asylum. Halley says that it had been prior "a church, then a bank, then it was a restaurant and a fancy gambling house". The madness of the Golden Day is all concentrated below the stairs/balcony/flag hanging, which could have some symbolism in the idea that Heaven/bliss was at the top of the stairs in the bedrooms, the stairs were the obstacles of life (or Purgatory), and those separated the top from the bottom floor, whose madness symbolizes Hell.
2. Describe the veterans at the Golden Day. All of the veterans fought for the Confederacy (this is the South, after all), and the narrator describes them as "harmless", if not a bit "shell-shocked". However, it is hard to tell whether or not the gray uniforms worn by the men are asylum uniforms or former military garb (actual Confederate uniforms were either gray or dyed butternut squash yellow), but their loose fit suggests that the men are well past their prime and have withered away in their clothes. None of them seem to have a strong offense toward black people, which is surprising given their condition. Many of them were professionals in several different fields of study prior to their wartime service.
3. Read p. 81 carefully and comment on the ways that the normal rules of society are reversed at the Golden Day. The bartender and owner, Big Halley, is black and adamantly refuses to cut the narrator a break on the off chance that he might be buying for another, showing that he is not a "stupid" black man. The attendant overseeing the veterans is also black. From dialogue exchanged between the women of the brothel-section and the veterans, it also appears that women have some power over men at the Golden Day, at leas sexually.
4. The vet who had been a doctor gives the narrator a warning. What is it? He tells the narrator that his invisibility is hurting rather than helping him, because he (the doctor) has spent his entire life for the benefit of others' and has nothing of his own to show for it. He wants the narrator to wake up and not follow in his path under the direction of Mr. Norton's "destiny".
5. The vet is the first to introduce the narrator to the concept of invisibility (pp. 94-95) and blindness. How do his comments tie into the statements the narrator makes in the Prologue? The doctor's comments reinforce those made by the narrator in the Prologue, where the narrator sees himself as merely "a force" rather than an actual man like the doctor said when he assaulted the white man. In contrast, the white man (and in this case, Mr. Norton) did not see him for a man, but rather just "a thing and not a man."

Chapter 4

1. Look at the description of the campus. How does it contrast with the Golden Day? The campus is well-maintained and organized, with students not causing trouble within the "quiet greenness", as opposed to the chaos surrounding and inside the Golden Day, with veterans wandering around haphazardly and the inside being crowded, messy, and chaotic.
2. Why does the narrator call the campus “a flower-studded wasteland?” The campus was, on the surface, well-manicured and organized but the narrator only remembers the negative aspects of the campus and participating a façade in order to gain more funding for the school from wealthy donors and co-founders.
3. List as many images (with page numbers) as you can find in this chapter of black against white. (Describing Bledsoe; p. 79) "while black and bald and everything white folks poked fun at, he had achieved power and authority...  while black and wrinkle-headed, made himself of more importance in the world than most Southern white men"; "[the black educators] take these white folks where we want them to go" (p. 80); "I believed in [the Founder's] own goodness and kindness in extending the hand of his benevolence to helping us poor, ignorant people out of the mire and darkness" (p. 78).
4. List all the images you can find (with page numbers) of masks and veils in this chapter. (Prior to arriving; p. 78) "buildings flowed and froze for a moment in mist"; "[Dr. Bledsoe] composed his angry face like a sculptor, making it a bland mask" (p. 81); "a veil seemed to fall" (p. 81).
5. How does the scene in Bledsoe’s office parallel the Battle Royal scene? It parallels the Battle Royal scene in that it starts out with a woman preceding the introduction to the man (men) in power, the narrator's vision is obscured prior to the confrontation, Bledsoe (his "opponent" is larger than the narrator physically, and the two of them are both trying to appease the white man (men).

Chapter 5

1. Retell briefly the story of the founder. How does it parallel the story of the narrator? The founder rose out of oppression by educating himself, but then he had to leave his homeland because there was a plot against his life (luckily, he was warned ahead of time by another (unknown) man). The stories are similar because the narrator did the same, except during the Reconstruction era, and was able to finally go to college thanks to his studying. However, the doctor/veteran in the Golden Day warned him about his self-destructive "invisibility" and because of that, the narrator had to step outside of his comfort zone around white people, no matter how much they said they were there to help.
2. In what ways has Bledsoe perverted the founder’s dream? Bledsoe has focused the attention of the university on collecting more funding rather than educating the black youth, and because of that, has turned his back on his race from a financial standpoint unless it stands to benefit him (Barbee is there on behalf of Bledsoe, and is the only other black man at the front).
3. Is there any symbolism in Bledsoe’s name? The name 'Bledsoe' sounds like the words 'bled so', as in "the President bled so (Bledsoe) others may succeed". However, knowing Bledsoe's hunger for power, this might be a purposeful subversion on wordplay.
4. Consider Rev. Homer Barbee’s name and blindness. Is there a classical allusion? Homer was a blind poet/storyteller (his works were transcribed for him) in Ancient Greece, most famous for the epic The Iliad, which tells the story of the Trojan War.
5. Does the revelation of Barbee’s blindness force the narrator to reevaluate Barbee’s statements? Why? Barbee's blindness forces the narrator to reevaluate the statements the reverend has made because he does not realize the white people are there with him at the school and is directing his speech to the black congregation. Because Barbee is preaching about the school in the old days as he could see it, the narrator is skeptical about the power behind the reverend's statements because it sounds like it is coming from Bledsoe's own manipulations as the man himself has not seen what the school's become.
6. Examine the images of rebirth on p. 110. Why do you feel Ellison included them? I feel that Ellison included them because he wanted to reiterate how people can rise out of negative situations to become better than they were "born"/intended to be. It may also be commentary on how Bledsoe came out of poverty through education but then changed who he was, turning his back on people through being "reborn" into a higher status than his peers.

Invisible Man: Chapters 1-2

Chapter 1

1. How does the Battle Royal illuminate to the narrator the differences between Blacks and Whites? It creates not only a physical divide between the races -- inside and outside of the ring -- but the language that is used against the fighters ("those black sonsabitches"; "tear [the narrator] limb from limb") only once the black men are blindfolded shows that the white men are not truly confident with the violent side of their racism until they believe they cannot suffer the consequences for it later.
2. What shocking surprises does the narrator have that night? He is forced to fight one-on-one with a peer much bigger than he (which he was not meant to do in the first place at the smoker), then made to scramble for "money" (really just tokens) on an electrified rug, and finally given a briefcase containing scholarship documents for the state college (for black people, as segregation was still in place).
3. How does the Battle Royal symbolize the narrator’s struggle for identity? The BR symbolizes the narrator's struggle for identity through the fact that he is blindfolded (he cannot discern what is different between himself and the other men) and also pitted against another man alone at the end -- to the white men watching the brawl, there are no differences between the two fighters, because they are both black, and to them, that is all that matters.
4. How does it symbolize the plight of Blacks in that time period in general? The BR symbolizes the plight of the black race in that era overall in a literal sense: they are fighting each other to appease the white men, their oppressors, unaware that whatever they gain from beating out their peers will be bittersweet.
5. The narrator gives a number of speeches throughout the novel. This is the first. Study it carefully and write a brief summary. What is the topic and why is that topic ironic? The topic of the narrator's speech is that humility is "the very essence of progress", and yet he is laughed at and belittled by the men who brought him to speak, showing that the "social responsibility" that the narrator speaks of (including an excerpt from Booker T. Washington's orations, who preached the same principle) is in actuality a one-way street. Humility is actually just a nice way to say "subservience".
6. In what ways are the Blacks at the smoker humiliated? Why do the White men take such pleasure in that humiliation? An initial humiliation might be that of the black men being forced to watch the blonde woman dance/become sexually aroused in front of the other men and each other. They were then forced to fight each other in the boxing ring (or otherwise be threatened with violence). These humiliations delight the white men because they are forcibly justifying their own backwards beliefs and stereotypes about black men being stupid and animalistic.
7. The narrator clings to the White man’s chair and thinks of tossing the man on the electrified rug. How does this scene symbolize the consequences of Black rebellion in a White world? The scene (especially the ending where he is kicked into the rug by Mr. Colcord) shows that no matter how much black rebellion fights against what they believe is the lesser of two evils (the person rather than society as a whole), the two evils are codependent and will eventually work with each other to stamp out dissidence from the status quo.
8. List all reference to the image of blindness. The blindfold is the obvious reference, but there is also smoke in the room and blinding lights focused on the stage for what is assumed to be dramatic effect for the evening's "entertainment".
9. What is the significance of the narrator’s dream at the end of the chapter? The clowns symbolize the black men in the Battle Royal (and throughout history that existed only to please white people), and the fact that the grandfather does not laugh at them shows that he has silent respect for doing what they must in order to survive, working for themselves and their own preservation. In regards to the envelope and letter, the many layers prior to reaching the letter show "years" or false promises lauded onto the black race for a better future. The message -- "Keep This N**ger-Boy Running" -- reveals that all the progress had, in the end, been for naught.

Chapter 2

1. How does the statue of the founder fit into the sight imagery begun in the Prologue? The fact that the narrator is unsure as to whether the veil is being lifted or dropped onto the slave fits into the imagery from the Prologue by building on the idea that "recognition is a form of agreement"; if the narrator believed the veil was lifted, then he was subscribed to the belief that education was setting black people free. However, if he believed the veil was being dropped, then he was in the camp of believing that the educated black people were keeping those who still were affected in some way by slavery subjugated because of their ignorance.
2. Look at the “Maxims of Emerson” handout. Are Norton’s comments ironic? Why or why not?  Norton's comments are indeed ironic because while he says that Emerson's philosophies were important to black people, he seems to subscribe to several of them as a white man, especially #9 and #6: "The civilized man has built a coach, but lost the use of his feet" (Norton, being a founder of the school, has built a "coach" in the sense that he has drivers that are members of the university, and by being driven around by the students, is not using his feet in the literal sense) and "An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man" (Norton states outright that the narrator and his "first-hand organizing of human life" are his fate).
3. Notice that Norton smokes a cigar. Does this connect him to other men of power? Who? This connects him to other men of power due to the fact that cigars are often more expensive (so I'm told) than other smoking products like cigarettes. Other men of power related to Norton through the mention of cigar smoking include robber barons/captains of industry, rich (multi)millionaires that profited off of the work of their subordinates, like Carnegie and Rockefeller. Men like them were usually drawn in newspaper cartoons with cigars.
4. Do you sense anything unnatural about Norton’s relationship with his daughter (on p. 51)? Norton idolizes his daughter, but particularly in her looks and being "too good" (and pure) for this world. It comes across as a little sexual.
5. Norton seems amazed that Trueblood has “looked upon chaos and [is] not destroyed.” What do you make of this comment? I think that Norton considers incest to be one of the most heinous crimes to be committed (rightfully so) and does not know how the man can live with himself after doing such a thing. It might also be the point where Norton starts to see Trueblood as being inhuman for his actions.
6. How might the clock in Trueblood’s dream symbolize the modern mechanized world? The clock symbolizes the modern mechanized world because it goes on and on, picking up speed without caring for those not keeping up. The white lady is preventing Trueblood from going into the clock because if he modernizes out of the sharecropper (post-slave) mentality away from making her family money off the land, then she will suffer. When Trueblood enters the clock, he is met with things that he cannot comprehend and frighten him, particularly because he does not have the education to progress along with the technology.
7. Do you find any symbolism in Trueblood’s name? It could have something to do with the fact that he had sex with his blood relative, but also that he is a physical representation of the white man's fears and assumptions about how black men behave: he is black men's "true blood".
8. Did you find the incest story disturbing? Why does Ellison include it? Ellison includes it because it is another example of how sometimes negative stereotypes are perpetuated, yet the people that do perpetuate stereotypes are still human and capable of holding conversations and moving on from their shortcomings, rather than wallowing in what others have deemed flaws. I did not find the incest story particularly disturbing, but that again, I am rather detached from things like that.
9. Read the final paragraph on p. 67 that begins “Things got to happenin’ right off.” What do you make of the White community’s willingness to help Trueblood? How does this relate to the grandfather’s deathbed speech? I believe that the white people were willing to help Trueblood because they pitied him. Not in a good, selfless way of helping, but more in the way where you want to donate to a cause because you see the victims of violence and/or disaster as being too pathetic to help themselves. This relates to the deathbed speech of the grandfather because Trueblood, by accepting the help of the white people and continuing to work for them, is living "with his head in the lion's mouth". While it is doubtful that he will be prosecuted for his crimes against his family, he is constantly at odds with what is "respectable" (working for white people, "[overcoming] them with yeses") and what he has done to forever sully his family's reputation.

Invisible Man Anticipation Guide

1. I really like the photograph by Jeff Wall, especially the light display (of "exactly 1,369 lights", due to it being a recreation of the setting in Invisible Man) on the ceiling. It reminds me of a makeshift crystal chandelier. It's interesting to note that the vast majority of the light bulbs are either dim or not on at all, which makes me wonder what the lights themselves individually symbolize, whether they're influences or ideas... or maybe they're just light bulbs. The overall tone of the picture is calm, with the unique light display casting a warm, hazy glow on the room. Not one area visible in the room is completely dark, and the room itself is likely proportionally smaller than it appears. I noticed this because the far wall in front of the camera is actually behind a wide (facing out, anyway) dresser and if the man in the picture were to stand up to his full height, he would have the majority of his head in the lights. The clutter of the room as well as the angle from which Wall took the picture (a corner, judging by wall distance) makes the space look larger than it actually is.
2. "(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue" has a double meaning in the title: black and blue can refer to the physical coloration of bruises, showing how racism has hurt the narrator, or it can be black and blue as two separate entities with Black being the race of the narrator (and of Armstrong himself) and "blue" being a common synonym for sadness. The tone of the song itself is extremely mournful: coupled with Armstrong’s unique voice, the lyrics themselves convey abandonment by everyone the narrator knows; even the mice (i.e. pests or scum) of the building he lives in refuse to associate with him. The song and its lyrics are definitely darker than what the picture by Jeff Wall conveys, but the idea of loneliness is present in both works. In the photograph, the man in the picture is not the main focus, and in fact blends into his surroundings with the eye initially being drawn to the ceiling. The man/narrator’s face is also worth mentioning in both works, despite the fact that they are the opposite of each other. The man’s face in the photograph is hidden away from the audience as he’s facing away from the camera, but in the song, the narrator cannot hide his face from (what is presumably) the public eye.The part of the passage that resonates the most with me is the narrator's desire for validation and the need to prove something.
3. Personally, I have a lot of ideas – most of which likely will not come to fruition for practical purposes – and nothing to do with them at the moment, and the lack of available action in my life has caused a lot of stress for me in wanting to show that my ideas and goals are not only plausible, but because they are what I want to do, they matter just as much as the ideas or circumstances that have a greater likelihood of succeeding. The idea that there’s a specification for where the narrator/audience that he is addressing is in life (“real world” as opposed to just “world” alone) also reiterates that there is a possible difference between what I want and what I am going to get, and that’s just how it is realistically, and that’s okay. Realism and a sense of actuality is required when achieving goals that are planned out in a mind primarily closed off to what the best (and worst) course of action there is for getting from Point A to Point B.

Hamlet Act 5 Reading Questions

1. At the opening of act five, one of the two Clowns (rustics, or men of lower class, not clowns as we understand the word) is puzzled that Ophelia will receive a proper burial. Why? How does the Second Clown explain this treatment (5.1.22)? (Also, note the Priest’s reluctance in the proceedings).

They are puzzled because they (and probably the general public) believe that Ophelia killed herself, and those who committed suicide in those times did not receive a proper (“Christian”) burial. This is explained away as the water coming to Ophelia and causing her death, not Ophelia going to the water herself. Another reason why is because she was a courtesan’s daughter and could afford such treatment on her own.

2. Whose skull does Hamlet recognize in the graveyard?

Yorick, the former king’s court jester.

3. How long has the “grave­‐maker” been working at his craft? What events coincided with his first day on the job?

He started the day that the late King Hamlet killed the late King Fortinbras in battle, which happened to coincide with the day that Prince Hamlet was born (so, roughly 30 years ago).

4. Hamlet imagines that the dirt that the Clown is digging could actually be who? What happens to these great figures in Hamlet’s imagining?

He imagines that the dirt is Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar and that they could be used to plug up holes in things like beer barrels and walls.

5. There are two surprising stage directions in 5.1: Laertes, then Hamlet, “leaps into the grave.” What are they fighting over?!

They are fighting over who loved Ophelia more (apparently, they both loved her enough to die in her name, buried alive).

6. Hamlet did inherit something from his father that proves quite useful in his stratagem against Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. What is it?

His father’s signet ring that bears the seal of Denmark, which he used to forge a document in his favor meant to be from the king.

7. What causes Hamlet’s death (and is also the cause of death for the entire Danish court (including Hamlet I))?

The poison that was provided by Claudius.

8. What is Laertes’s dying wish? Is it fulfilled?

He asks Hamlet to forgive him for his accusations, and Hamlet does just that.

9. Just before Hamlet dies, he offers his “dying voice” to Fortinbras. What does he mean by this? What is going to happen to Denmark after the play?

Fortinbras has his “vote”/support for overtaking the Danish throne now that the royal lineage has expired. This means that Denmark will be taken over by Norway (at least annexed) after the play is over.

10. What orders does Fortinbras give at the end of the play? What is the significance, do you think, of this action?

Hamlet’s body is to be carried away to a royal, respectable burial, complete with adoration of his supposed heroic qualities and an armed salute. The significance of burying Hamlet like a soldier shows that not only does he approve of Hamlet’s actions, but that because of his approval, Denmark may remain rotten regardless of who the leader is.

Hamlet Act 4 Reading Questions

1. What is the real reason, as revealed at the end of 4.3, Claudius has sent Hamlet away?

Hamlet has been sent away to England to be killed there on Claudius’ orders.

2. What has Hamlet done with the body of Polonius? What kind of a funeral did Polonius receive, according to the King (4.5)?

Hamlet his the body near the stairs in the lobby/foyer area of the castle. Polonius received a quick, improper funeral in return to get rid of the (stinking) corpse.

3. On his way out of Denmark, Hamlet encounters a captain from the army of Fortinbras (4.4). Where are they headed? What are they fighting for?

Fortinbras’ army is headed to Poland through Denmark to fight over a small section of the country that, apparently, isn’t worth anything really at all.

4. How is Ophelia described in the stage direction that marks her entrance to 4.5? What does she sing about in her songs? What does she hand out to the court?

She is described as being “distracted”, and sings songs about love and sexuality (with the occasional rhyme about death) while handing out flowers like daisies and columbines to the court.

5. What news does the Messenger bring of Laertes in 4.5? Has he returned to Denmark alone? Compare his state to Hamlet’s report at 4.7.

The Messenger says that Laertes has come back to Denmark with a mob following him demanding that Claudius be replaced by Laertes as king of Denmark. While Laertes is enraged, however, Hamlet seems to plan to come back on bended knee to apologize to Claudius and company and explain why he suddenly came back.

6. Note how Laertes describes his motivation for revenge in 4.5. What is driving him?

The fact that his father died and was buried under suspicious circumstances while he was away is driving him to revenge. Ophelia’s madness isn’t helping either.

7. What turn of events does Hamlet report to Horatio in his letter in 4.6?

Hamlet says that while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are still on their way to England, he has been kidnapped by pirates.

8. Claudius comes up with a very complicated plan for Laertes to execute his revenge in 4.7. What is it? Notice what Laertes wants to do (4.7)!

Laertes is to fence with Hamlet upon his return (something Hamlet has apparently always wanted to do against Laertes) and pierce through him with the foil tipped in poison. If that doesn’t work, Claudius plans to have Hamlet drink poison if he manages to avoid getting pierced. Laertes, on the other hand, wants to kill Hamlet in church.

9. How do we learn of Ophelia’s death? What are its odd circumstances?

The audience (along with Laertes and Claudius) learn of Ophelia’s death from Gertrude rushing back in. However, the circumstances are odd, as Ophelia apparently drowned due to her clothes being heavy from wetness while picking more flowers near a brook.

Hamlet Act 3 Reading Questions

1. Does Hamlet behave differently toward Ophelia than Polonius and Laertes? How does he treat her during the “Mousetrap” play that the players perform?

Hamlet treats Ophelia like she is already (very) impure, while her brother and father act as though she is only on her way there if she keeps fooling around with Hamlet. However, at the "Mousetrap" play, he is very vulgar towards her, despite him being the one calling her promiscuous.

2. What is the point of the play Hamlet calls “The Mousetrap” (The Murder of Gonzago)? What are the differences between this version of a king’s murder and that which we have been told of in Hamlet?



The point of the play is to gauge Claudius' reaction to the events that take place (namely, the murder) in order to prove in front of witnesses that he is truly what the Ghost said, the killer of the late king. However, differences between "The Mousetrap" and supposed reality include a more sympathetic opinion of royal remarriage and the fact that it's an Italian (rather than Danish) tale.

3. At the end of 3.2, Hamlet “could drink hot blood” (360) as he goes off to visit his mother. On the way, he finds the King in prayer. Why does he not slay him in this moment (3.3.77 ff.)?

Hamlet wants to kill Claudius while he's not being pious and has a shot at going to Heaven like his father, rather when he is being immoral so "his soul may be as damned and black/As hell whereto it goes".

4. What is the intended purpose of Hamlet’s visit to his mother’s chamber? How does he turn the tables on her? What instructions does he give to her?

The intended purpose is for him to pour out his feelings/the reasoning for his "madness" to her so she can report back to Claudius and company. Hamlet instead reams into his mother for marrying and having sex with her husband's brother (and her own brother-in-law), telling her not to sleep with Claudius that night or ever again as well as to repent for her sins.

5. What happens to Polonius during the conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude? Who else barges in on their conversation?

Polonius gets stabbed through the tapestry by Hamlet who (rightfully) believes there is an eavesdropper on the conversation. The Ghost also pops in to tell Hamlet to lay off of Gertrude, who is frightened enough already.

6. At the end of act 3, Hamlet reminds his mother that he has been sent on a foreign mission by the King (this resolution comes in 3.1) Where is he going? Why does Hamlet think he is being sent away?

Hamlet is being sent to England on "diplomatic business" with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but Hamlet thinks he is being sent away with the two men to be foolish somewhere far away from the crown.

Hamlet Act 2 Reading Questions

1. What is Polonius employing Reynaldo to do? What instructions does he give to him?

Polonius is employing Reynaldo to go to Paris after his son, Laertes, and check up on his activities to see if they are entirely wholesome as well as when he meets up with Laertes, to give him money and letters from home. He tells Reynaldo to assess the Danes of the area (the company that Laertes is likely to keep) and use suggestive questioning to discover what Laertes is up to.

2. What report of Hamlet’s behavior does Ophelia give to Polonius in 2.1? What
specifically does she tell him about how he was acting? What other words are used to describe Hamlet’s behavior (especially his actions) throughout these acts? When Hamlet appears in 2.2, how would you characterize his speech?

Hamlet came back to his chamber with his clothes extremely disheveled and looking at Ophelia questioningly, even keeping eye contact as he leaves the room. There is a lot of referral to death/dying: Ophelia says that he looked "As if he had been loosèd out of hell/To speak of horrors" and that his sigh "did seem to shatter all his bulk/And end his being". When Hamlet appears in 2.2, 

3. What news does King Claudius receive from Norway in 2.2? What is the status of the impending invasion from act 1?

Fortinbras Jr.'s uncle, the king of Norway (figure that...) is very upset that he is targeting Denmark as has had Fortinbras Jr. arrested under the assurance that Denmark will not be threatened with Nordic invasion again. Now, Fortinbras Jr. is heading to invade Poland through Denmark.

4. What speech does Hamlet ask the Player to perform in 2.2? What event in history/literature is being recounted in this speech? Who is Pyrrhus?

A dramatic telling of the section from the epic The Aenead when Aeneas tells Dido about Priam's murder during the Trojan War (ancient Greece; The Iliad by Homer also covers part of this war). Pyrrhus is the son of the Greek hero Achilles (known for his heel), and he tried to avenge his father's death by killing the king of Troy after hiding inside the infamous horse.



5. In his second soliloquy (“O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I”), what is Hamlet’s response to the player’s speech? What aspect of the Player’s speech does he specifically comment on?

Hamlet's response to the player's speech is something of a call-to-arms for him to avenge his father's death similarly to how Pyrrhus avenged Achilles'. He in particular comments on the emotion that the Player puts into delivering the speech: "Tears in his eyes,/distraction in his aspect,/A broken voice".

The Rest of the Hamlet Act 1 Questions

8. What advice do both Laertes and Polonius give to Ophelia?


Laertes and Polonius both tell Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet, especially for sexual reasons, because it sullies the family name and her own reputation, as he would not be able to provide for her at that moment.

9. What is particularly “foul, strange, and unnatural” about King Hamlet I’s death? (see 1.5)


Claudius killed the elder Hamlet through poison and stabbing, but everyone was convinced that he was bitten by a snake in the castle gardens.

10. What does Hamlet write down after seeing the ghost? Where does he write it?

Hamlet promised to remember his father/his father’s death, and does so by writing the vow down in his notebook.

11. To what oath does Hamlet make Horatio and Marcellus swear?

They are sworn by Hamlet’s sword to not tell anyone what they have seen (the ghost & Hamlet conversing with it).