Chapter 24
1. What causes the riot?
The cause is unclear, but one states that it is because of Tod Clifton's death and the other believes it is because of Ras the Destroyer. The narrator comes to the realization that the riot was the committee's plan all along. They knew the Black people of Harlem wouldn't stand a chance against armed police men.
2. Think about the Book of Revelations in the Bible. In what ways is Ras like one of the four
horseman of the Apocalypse?
The Black horse is popularly understood to represent famine, which doesn't really equal up to what Ras stands for. But he is like one of the horseman, in that he is delivering the apocalypse. Ras encompasses the force and anger of the all the Blacks into one man.
3. What drives the narrator underground?
He is running from a group of white men and falls into a manhole. They then shut the hole because he will not come out.
4. What does the narrator do with the papers in his briefcase? How is this action symbolic?
He burns them for a source of lighting to search for a exit. It is symbolic in that he is burning all his baggage and history that was holding him back before. In the process, he realizes Brother Jack was the one who wrote him the anonymous letter.
Epilogue
1. In what ways has the novel come full circle?
It begins and ends with the narrator in a hole.
2. Is this a satisfactory ending for the novel? What or why not?
Yes, because the narrator is able to acknowledge his growth and identity. The ending is thoughtful and reflective.
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