The Hero Of Invisible Man

1. The Man Who Was Almost A Man is coming-of-age story about a young man named Dave Saunders who is wanting to enter adulthood in hopes that being a man will earn the respect of his fellow (but older) farm hands. He believes owning a gun will push him into this adulthood. While this at first seems like a childish idea (and of course it is), it could have turned into a way for Dave to become an adult. A gun is a serious responsibility, and handling that responsibility may have proved him a man. It represents not only responsibility, but also power, respect, and independence. These are all things Dave wants but will not work for. Instead he believes a gun will instantly make him a man and earn him respect. He also reasons that a gun would provide

The hero of Invisible Man is nameless because he realizes his true identity is invisible to those around him. He must isolate himself from society to understand himself. The grandfather in Invisible

Man represents the ghost of slavery and provides his grandson with spiritual guidance. The grandfather tells the narrator's father that he lived in “meekness” and feels like a traitor because of this. He feels he has betrayed someone, though it is never stated who. The reader can assume a variety of different people he feels he betrayed: himself, family, ancestors, his races as a whole or future generations. He advises the narrator's father to live two lives, in essence. One identity should behave just as their slave masters wish, but on the other hand should still resent this first identity, as it is false. This policy would allow future generations to refuse belittlement and second-class status on the inside, and be able to maintain self respect. The narrator, however, realizes he is living his life in meekness as well— constantly being praised by white men, he fears he is acting the exact opposite of the way white people want him to. He even delivers a speech at his graduation in which he told his fellow graduates

This can keep him from discovering who he truly is.

4. The narrator of Sonny's Blues is asked by his mother to watch over his brother, Sonny, and sort of act as his keeper. After his mother's death, Sonny's life is taken over by drug abuse and prison. There is tension between the brothers, as shown by the narrator's original refusal to contact or deal with Sonny after going away to prison. However, he does keep in touch eventually (specifically after the narrator's daughter dies), and even takes him into his home when he gets out of prison. This is the beginning of the narrator taking on the true role of his brother's keeper, perpetually worrying for Sonny. The brothers clearly love each other, but do not understand one another and do not approve of each other's lives. These difficulties are overcome though, and they find their way back to each other in the end.

This brotherhood, however, extends beyond the narrator and Sonny. It reaches throughout Harlem, whose inhabitants are also plagued with drugs use and poverty. The community, however, comes together to support, protect, and watch over each other. In the same way, Sonny makes a family