The protagonist in several works of literature is generally plagued by conflicting influences, adding to the overall meaning of the literary work. The Invisible Man’s narrator is the same. As the narrator struggles in pursuit of understanding his invisibility, he finds himself vacillating between influences of Dr. Bledsoe, Brother Jack, and his grandfather.
Dr. Bledsoe’s beliefs and actions toward the narrator mark him as invisible, adding to narrator’s inability to advance in life. Dr. Bledsoe explains to the narrator that black people are only able to succeed when they play the white man’s game. In other words, the narrator should always strive for a white man’s approval, even if that means lying to oneself and acting against one’s principles. The first instant we see the narrator invisible to Bledsoe is his expulsion. The narrator was expelled from the college because Bledsoe believed he was a threat. In other words, the narrator’s mistake with Mr. Norton created worried feelings in Dr. Bledsoe; he felt that Mr. Norton’s disapproval
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Just as the narrator faced several accusations of betrayal throughout the novel, these accusations were essential in making a difference for the narrator. For example, his rebellion against the Brotherhood caused him to find his true identity one who desires change in society. Similarly, All American Boys taught that the same lesson is still alive today. In the novel, Quinn’s dangerous move to wear the shirt in support of Rashad was clearly a betrayal to his friend, Paul Galluzzo. Nevertheless, his betrayal was motivated by a desire to fight for justice in the world, despite angering his friends. This instance applies to the relation between black people and white people today. Sometimes, betrayal is necessary for stopping racism. When people stand united together, in opposition to those forces that say racism isn’t a huge deal, the problem can finally be