I. M's Social Invisibility

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I.M manipulates Sybil to gather more information about Brotherhood, and he decides to entertain her and he states "I tried to manage things as I imagined Rinehart would have done" (Ellison 516). I.M once again wants to be like someone else; first it was Bledsoe now Rinehart. I.M still doesn't realize that trying to be someone that he isn't never worked out for him. What does this reveal about I.M? How has his desire to be someone other than himself impacted him? How will this affect his character development?

After receiving a call from one of the Brotherhood's members who says that there is some trouble, I.M on his way to town states "Why should I worry over bureaucrats, blind men? I am invisible" (Ellison 528). Is invisibility a way for I.M to get away from his social responsibility of trying to bring up his race? If so, why is he attempting to evade this responsibility?

While everyone in Harlem is looting stores for money, I.M's loot is his things from the past like "Mary's broken bank and the coins; and now I found myself opening the briefcase and dropping all my papers -- my Brotherhood identification, the anonymous letter, along with Clifton's doll". Is I.M's relationship with his past changing? How and why is this significant? …show more content…
But now they came forward with a knife, holding me; and I felt the bright red pain and they took the two bloody blobs and cast them over the bridge" (Ellison 569). Though I.M keeps his stance of staying with the people, he is put through terrible pain. I.M represents the African American people, the pain that I.M goes through shows that it will be tough for the African Americans to gain equality with the presence of people like Bledsoe and Jack. Their power is the biggest hindrance to the freedom movement because most people don’t know their true

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