The Doctor is amazed by Frimbo, his skills and his “supernatural” powers. The conjure-man takes Archer by surprise, when he reviles doctor’s past and plenty of its details. Frimbo’s striking knowledge of Doctor's social reality and his personal life is the reason the novel’s narrator states that “Dr. Archer had come to observe and found himself the object of the observation” (229). The physician thinks that Frimbo is an extraordinary man, and recognizes their “similarly reflective minds” (214). This is where the reader sees that Fisher's novel centers around black intellectual life through the meeting and exchange between Doctor Archer and Frimbo, American and African. After long hours of their conversation the physician realizes that the conjure-man
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I can step out of the order of this existence and become, with respect to it, a free agent, independent of it, yet able to act upon it, reading past and present and modifying the future” (260). Even as a well-educated man the Doctor finds it hard to understand some of Frimbo's theories. For some time he decides that the conjure-man is sick with paranoia. Only after Archer learns about Frimbo's responsibilities as a king, and all the duties he carries for the members of his African community, he sees the whole picture. Since the original murder victim is Frimbo's assistant, who has the same last name as conjure-man, has similar appearance, and comes from the same tribe, it is king's duty to find out who is the killer, and let the man's spirit rest in peace. The conjure-man uses his double consciousness to solve the murder mystery. He gathers all the suspects in one room and performs a psychic examination. However, Frimbo also employs his rational knowledge, sets a trap with an electrical current, and tricks the murderer to reveal himself. Unfortunately, it backfires on him and the psychic gets shot during the session. Frimbo accomplishes his mission; there is a big possibility that he knows or maybe predicts the future, but regardless of it he goes with his plan to the end. If one is asked which side of his
I can step out of the order of this existence and become, with respect to it, a free agent, independent of it, yet able to act upon it, reading past and present and modifying the future” (260). Even as a well-educated man the Doctor finds it hard to understand some of Frimbo's theories. For some time he decides that the conjure-man is sick with paranoia. Only after Archer learns about Frimbo's responsibilities as a king, and all the duties he carries for the members of his African community, he sees the whole picture. Since the original murder victim is Frimbo's assistant, who has the same last name as conjure-man, has similar appearance, and comes from the same tribe, it is king's duty to find out who is the killer, and let the man's spirit rest in peace. The conjure-man uses his double consciousness to solve the murder mystery. He gathers all the suspects in one room and performs a psychic examination. However, Frimbo also employs his rational knowledge, sets a trap with an electrical current, and tricks the murderer to reveal himself. Unfortunately, it backfires on him and the psychic gets shot during the session. Frimbo accomplishes his mission; there is a big possibility that he knows or maybe predicts the future, but regardless of it he goes with his plan to the end. If one is asked which side of his