In the end of a bildungsroman, the protagonist accepts society's values and adapts. Do you think IM accepts society's expectations or not? Provide a piece of evidence from the last section (20-End) and explain.
"They were vindicated; the program was correct, events were progressing in their predetermined direction, history was on their side, and Harlem loved them. I sat there smiling inwardly as I listened to the remarks that followed."(Page 514)
He's showing in this quote that events in society were progressing normally, rallies were still being held, but all he was doing was listening. He's finally accepted is position in society and is just listening to the multiple voices within. He's finally accepted who he is and that is characteristic of a Bildungsroman.
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction. I was and yet I was unseen. It was frightening and as I sat there I sensed another frightening world of possibilities. For now I saw that I could agree with Jack without agreeing" pg. 507
I believe that IM adapts to society's form. On the other I do not believe that IM accepts it's values. I believe that IM changes during each circumstance to rise to the occasion, but in the end he is still himself. He does mature throughout the novel, but it is for his own character. This change doesn't come through accepting his society.
""...You must accept discipline. Either you accept decisions or you get out..."" (474)
IM does not view the world and Harlem as the Brotherhood does. He does not support their racist endeavors. He believes in the individualism and inequality that the riots are trying to expose. The Brotherhood is adamant about their views and IM feels very betrayed. He doesn't accept what his former group supports and sees the manipulation of Harlem. The "freedom" of black people at this time isn't freedom, they were being controlled by society and white peoples views and stereotypes presented to them.
"The notion was frightening, for now the world seemed to flow before my eyes. All boundaries down, freedom was not only the recognition of necessity, it was the recognition of possibility." (499)
IM now sees the world with open eyes. Before, he only saw the negative aspects that he believed were brought on by his culture. Now that he has found himself, he can now look at the world with different eyes and see that he can be part of
"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint. Perhaps that's the way it had to be; I don't know." (pg. 572)
In this quote IM is finally accepting that this is the way he is going to live now. He is invisible, always has been and always will be because that is what society wants him to be. He accepts this because he cannot change it. He tried to be a part of history, but society kept kicking him out of it so he could not be a part of it no matter how bad he wanted to. He Finally sees that now and so he has given up and has started to embrace his invisibility.
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction" (507). - IM does not accept society's expectations; however he does accept his own outlook on life. This quote shows his realization that he can only be himself and cannot impress others in society. He cannot live prosperously without staying true to himself and he accepts this fact.
"I was pulled this way and that for longer than I can remember. And my problem was that I always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have also been called one thing and then another while no one really wished to hear what I called myself. So after years of trying to adopt the opinions of others I finally rebelled. I am an invisble man." (pg 573)
I don't think that IM ever truly accepts socitey's values, but he does come to a new acceptance of himself. He has seemed to resent being invisble by those around him up until this point at which he seems to embrace it. He is not saying that he is insignificant or should be asashamed, but rather he is okay with who he is and with his new place in the world.
"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint." (572)
IM does seem to accept society's values and adapts. He finally realizes that it does not matter what is going on, he will always be himself. However, just because he is himself it does not mean he cannot change the world. IM excepts the values of the society, but still challenges them daily.
"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint," (572).
IM finally accepts the reply of his situation, he realizes that he doesn't completely accept the ways of society, but he also realizes that the reality is that he cannot change it. He realizes that it is more important for him to accept the person that he is, rather than try and make everyone happy
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction" (506) My this quote we can come to the conclusion that IM still in the ends feels invisible therefore not meeting the expectations of society
"They were very much the same, each attempting to force his picture of reality upon me and neither giving a hoot in hell for how things looked to me. I was simply a material, a natural resource to be used." (508)
He doesn't seem to have any other choice other than to accept it, in my opinion. How else does he expect to move on if he denies what society says? In the end, IM does accept the expectations of him because there are people who will try to push him down.
"I had no longer to run for or from the Jacks and the Emersons and the Bledsoes and the Nortons, but only from their confusion, impatience, and refusal to recognize the beautiful absurdity of their American identity and mine."(pg.559) IM
Based on the quote above, I feel that IM is refecting the expectations that society has set on him as an African American. I think that IM is basically saying that he refuses to follow the absurd ideas of what he should say and do that others have tried to force on him his whole life. However, I also believe that IM's defiance of the absurdity of American identity is why he believes that being invisible has its advantages.
"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint. Perhaps that's the way it had to be; I don't know." (pg. 572)
Invisible Man had struggled to remain hopeful throughout the entire novel, and in this moment he begins to accept that he is not as capable of making a difference as he once believed he was. He had been exposed to the brotherhood's true intent, and that they were just as racist as those he had been attempting to avoid. IM has accepted that he is destined to live his life as invisible.
"something seemed to say, "That's enough don't kill yourself. You've run enough, you're through with them at last," and I collapsed..."(pg 568)
This quote shows that he is tired of fighting the fight of trying to fit in with the others and actually be something. It also shows his contentment with being invisible again. It seems even that he finds peace in knowing that he is back to being the invisible man that no one notices. I think during the book he has found that being invisible is much simpler than trying to be something.
"I had no longer to run for or from the Jacks and the Emersons and the Bledsoes and the Nortons, but only from their confusion, impatience, and refusal to recognize the beautiful absurdity of their American identity and mine." pg 559
IM realizes he no longer has to run from who he is or who anyone else is. I think he realizes he doesn't always have to accept society's expectations, and that being invisible isn't so bad because it means no more fighting to fit in.
"I was pulled this way and that for longer than I can remember. And my problem was that I always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have also been called one thing and then another while no one really wished to hear what I called myself. So after years of trying to adopt the opinions of others I finally rebelled. I am an invisble man." (page 573)
Invisible Man does accept society's values and adapts to society's standards and beliefs. Through IM finally realizing at this point that he is invisible, he is accepting society's belief that he is unimportant. As a college student, he agreed with the ideas of Dr. Bledsoe and as a young adult, he unknowingly agreed with the idea of The Brotherhood. When IM finally accepts the fact that he is invisible, he accepts society's expectations.
"There's a possibility that even an invisible man has a socially responsible role to play." (581)
In the end of the novel I do believe that IM has found his place in society. He has accepted what society thinks; however those thoughts do not rule over him. This quote shows that despite what others believe IM knows where his place is in the end.
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction" (507).
This quote shows me that IM still saw himself as invisible. I do believe that even though he realizes that he does not reach society's expectation, he does realize that he is who he is and he accepts it.
"something seemed to say, "That's enough don't kill yourself. You've run enough, you're through with them at last," and I collapsed..."(pg 568) IM finally accepted that he's done running and hiding, he has no more to run from and so he accepted it and realized that although he was still invisible, he didn't have to hide from it
"It's kind of like death without hanging… a death alive.” (page 556-557)
IM eventually accepted who he is was, but he did not like who he was, and that is why he burned his past. He had to burn his past to create a new future. Invisible Man eventually had to let go of all the things he hated to create the things that he liked. He accepts the societal standards he must own up to, so that is one reason he is letting his past go: he knows he could not accept the standards without changing who he was. He was tired of having a war against society, so he figures he may as well blend in.
IM realizes he is not going to be able to advance further in society and accepts that. He goes into hiding to wait it out until he will be able to be himself without criticism.
"I was pulled this way and that for longer than I can remember. And my problem was that I always tried to go in everyone's way but my own....So after years of trying to adopt the opinions of others I finally rebelled." (pg 573)
IM has tried to conform with society all of his life. He finally realizes that even if society says something should be a certain way, he doesn't have to agree with them. He chooses to rebel if he feels there is a need to rebel.
"They were vindicated; the program was correct, events were progressing in their predetermined direction, history was on their side, and Harlem loved them. I sat there smiling inwardly as I listened to the remarks that followed."(Page 514)
ReplyDeleteHe's showing in this quote that events in society were progressing normally, rallies were still being held, but all he was doing was listening. He's finally accepted is position in society and is just listening to the multiple voices within. He's finally accepted who he is and that is characteristic of a Bildungsroman.
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction. I was and yet I was unseen. It was frightening and as I sat there I sensed another frightening world of possibilities. For now I saw that I could agree with Jack without agreeing" pg. 507
ReplyDeleteI believe that IM adapts to society's form. On the other I do not believe that IM accepts it's values. I believe that IM changes during each circumstance to rise to the occasion, but in the end he is still himself. He does mature throughout the novel, but it is for his own character. This change doesn't come through accepting his society.
""...You must accept discipline. Either you accept decisions or you get out..."" (474)
ReplyDeleteIM does not view the world and Harlem as the Brotherhood does. He does not support their racist endeavors. He believes in the individualism and inequality that the riots are trying to expose. The Brotherhood is adamant about their views and IM feels very betrayed. He doesn't accept what his former group supports and sees the manipulation of Harlem. The "freedom" of black people at this time isn't freedom, they were being controlled by society and white peoples views and stereotypes presented to them.
"The notion was frightening, for now the world seemed to flow before my eyes. All boundaries down, freedom was not only the recognition of necessity, it was the recognition of possibility." (499)
ReplyDeleteIM now sees the world with open eyes. Before, he only saw the negative aspects that he believed were brought on by his culture. Now that he has found himself, he can now look at the world with different eyes and see that he can be part of
different cultures. He is both African and American.
ReplyDelete"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint. Perhaps that's the way it had to be; I don't know." (pg. 572)
ReplyDeleteIn this quote IM is finally accepting that this is the way he is going to live now. He is invisible, always has been and always will be because that is what society wants him to be. He accepts this because he cannot change it. He tried to be a part of history, but society kept kicking him out of it so he could not be a part of it no matter how bad he wanted to. He Finally sees that now and so he has given up and has started to embrace his invisibility.
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction" (507).
ReplyDelete- IM does not accept society's expectations; however he does accept his own outlook on life. This quote shows his realization that he can only be himself and cannot impress others in society. He cannot live prosperously without staying true to himself and he accepts this fact.
"I was pulled this way and that for longer than I can remember. And my problem was that I always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have also been called one thing and then another while no one really wished to hear what I called myself. So after years of trying to adopt the opinions of others I finally rebelled. I am an invisble man." (pg 573)
ReplyDeleteI don't think that IM ever truly accepts socitey's values, but he does come to a new acceptance of himself. He has seemed to resent being invisble by those around him up until this point at which he seems to embrace it. He is not saying that he is insignificant or should be asashamed, but rather he is okay with who he is and with his new place in the world.
"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint." (572)
ReplyDeleteIM does seem to accept society's values and adapts. He finally realizes that it does not matter what is going on, he will always be himself. However, just because he is himself it does not mean he cannot change the world. IM excepts the values of the society, but still challenges them daily.
"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint," (572).
ReplyDeleteIM finally accepts the reply of his situation, he realizes that he doesn't completely accept the ways of society, but he also realizes that the reality is that he cannot change it. He realizes that it is more important for him to accept the person that he is, rather than try and make everyone happy
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction" (506)
ReplyDeleteMy this quote we can come to the conclusion that IM still in the ends feels invisible therefore not meeting the expectations of society
"They were very much the same, each attempting to force his picture of reality upon me and neither giving a hoot in hell for how things looked to me. I was simply a material, a natural resource to be used." (508)
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't seem to have any other choice other than to accept it, in my opinion. How else does he expect to move on if he denies what society says? In the end, IM does accept the expectations of him because there are people who will try to push him down.
"I had no longer to run for or from the Jacks and the Emersons and the Bledsoes and the Nortons, but only from their confusion, impatience, and refusal to recognize the beautiful absurdity of their American identity and mine."(pg.559) IM
ReplyDeleteBased on the quote above, I feel that IM is refecting the expectations that society has set on him as an African American. I think that IM is basically saying that he refuses to follow the absurd ideas of what he should say and do that others have tried to force on him his whole life. However, I also believe that IM's defiance of the absurdity of American identity is why he believes that being invisible has its advantages.
"Once you get used to it, reality is irresistible as a club, and I was clubbed into the cellar before I caught the hint. Perhaps that's the way it had to be; I don't know." (pg. 572)
ReplyDeleteInvisible Man had struggled to remain hopeful throughout the entire novel, and in this moment he begins to accept that he is not as capable of making a difference as he once believed he was. He had been exposed to the brotherhood's true intent, and that they were just as racist as those he had been attempting to avoid. IM has accepted that he is destined to live his life as invisible.
"something seemed to say, "That's enough don't kill yourself. You've run enough, you're through with them at last," and I collapsed..."(pg 568)
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows that he is tired of fighting the fight of trying to fit in with the others and actually be something. It also shows his contentment with being invisible again. It seems even that he finds peace in knowing that he is back to being the invisible man that no one notices. I think during the book he has found that being invisible is much simpler than trying to be something.
"I had no longer to run for or from the Jacks and the Emersons and the Bledsoes and the Nortons, but only from their confusion, impatience, and refusal to recognize the beautiful absurdity of their American identity and mine." pg 559
ReplyDeleteIM realizes he no longer has to run from who he is or who anyone else is. I think he realizes he doesn't always have to accept society's expectations, and that being invisible isn't so bad because it means no more fighting to fit in.
"I was pulled this way and that for longer than I can remember. And my problem was that I always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have also been called one thing and then another while no one really wished to hear what I called myself. So after years of trying to adopt the opinions of others I finally rebelled. I am an invisble man." (page 573)
ReplyDeleteInvisible Man does accept society's values and adapts to society's standards and beliefs. Through IM finally realizing at this point that he is invisible, he is accepting society's belief that he is unimportant. As a college student, he agreed with the ideas of Dr. Bledsoe and as a young adult, he unknowingly agreed with the idea of The Brotherhood. When IM finally accepts the fact that he is invisible, he accepts society's expectations.
"There's a possibility that even an invisible man has a socially responsible role to play." (581)
ReplyDeleteIn the end of the novel I do believe that IM has found his place in society. He has accepted what society thinks; however those thoughts do not rule over him. This quote shows that despite what others believe IM knows where his place is in the end.
"Well, I was and yet I was invisible, that was the fundamental contradiction" (507).
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows me that IM still saw himself as invisible. I do believe that even though he realizes that he does not reach society's expectation, he does realize that he is who he is and he accepts it.
"something seemed to say, "That's enough don't kill yourself. You've run enough, you're through with them at last," and I collapsed..."(pg 568)
ReplyDeleteIM finally accepted that he's done running and hiding, he has no more to run from and so he accepted it and realized that although he was still invisible, he didn't have to hide from it
"It's kind of like death without hanging… a death alive.” (page 556-557)
ReplyDeleteIM eventually accepted who he is was, but he did not like who he was, and that is why he burned his past. He had to burn his past to create a new future. Invisible Man eventually had to let go of all the things he hated to create the things that he liked. He accepts the societal standards he must own up to, so that is one reason he is letting his past go: he knows he could not accept the standards without changing who he was. He was tired of having a war against society, so he figures he may as well blend in.
"and yet I was invisible" 507
ReplyDeleteIM realizes he is not going to be able to advance further in society and accepts that. He goes into hiding to wait it out until he will be able to be himself without criticism.
"I was pulled this way and that for longer than I can remember. And my problem was that I always tried to go in everyone's way but my own....So after years of trying to adopt the opinions of others I finally rebelled." (pg 573)
ReplyDeleteIM has tried to conform with society all of his life. He finally realizes that even if society says something should be a certain way, he doesn't have to agree with them. He chooses to rebel if he feels there is a need to rebel.