Chapter 5
1. Retail briefly the story of the founder. How does it parallel the story of the narrator?
The founder is described in a very high manner. He was born of slaves and almost died when he was a baby. He taught himself to read and write, even though he was in such an adverse situation. He became someone that everyone wanted to meet and looked up to. This parallels the story of the narrator in that he goes unnoticed and invisible to others. The narrator hasn't discovered the true meaning of his life.
2. In what ways has Bledsoe perverted the founder's dream?
He mocks the founder's dreams and instead uses it as a way for him to gain more power. He is a selfish man who is more concerned with himself, than the college.
3. Is there any symbolism in Bledsoe's name?
Bledsoe could be a reference to bleeding. Whenever he treats the narrator poorly, he is bleeding on his people, so disrespecting his own race.
4. Consider Rev. Homer Barbee's name and blindness. Is there a classical allusion?
Yes, to Homer in The Odyssey and The Iliad. His blindness symbolizes those who remain blind to the oppression around them. Because Rev. Barbee is blind, he is unable to recognize that the college is no longer the same it used to be. This is what allows him to actually speak to the blacks versus Bledsoe who is just concerned with what the white sponsors may be thinking.
5. Does the revelation of Barbee's blindness force the narrator to reevaluate Barbee's statements? Why?
Yes, because he realized he would be the one expelled for the incident with Mr. Norton. He also recognizes he has endangered the community of the college through his actions.
6. Examine the images of rebirth on p. 110. Why do you feel Ellison included them?
To foreshadow how the narrator might have to go through a rebirth if he is expelled.
Chapter 6
1. What shocking aspect of Bledsoe's character are revealed to the narrator?
That he is the one in control. "Negroes don't control this school or much of anything else -- haven't you learned even that? No sir, they don't control this school, nor white folks either. True they support it, but I control it." Bledsoe is the one who tells the "white folk" what to think.
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?
"But I've made my place in it and I'll have every negro in the country hanging on tree limbs by morning if it means staying where I am."
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.
He is confused as to why he as landed in the situation he is in. Instead of being rewarded for all the good he has done, he is being punished. He does not understand why this has happened when all he has done is take the straight and narrow path to his goals. He has done exactly what he believes is expected of him. The narrator states that if he were to be expelled he would not know what else to do with his life. This is the only thing he knows of to attain success. He would be lost if he were to be expelled.
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