Chapters 23-24

This is an intense and saddening moment for the narrator because he realizes that, just like the sambo doll, he has been owned and manipulated by the brotherhood so the community can feel like they have some common grounds. While speaking with Brother Jack, Jack’s eye popped out of his eye socket and fell right in front of the narrator which symbolizes the absolute blindness and physical defeat one must undergo for the brotherhood. The narrator puts on a disguise with dark sunglasses and suddenly everyone begins treating him like he is a man named Rinehart who they call the “spiritual technologist”. These moments remind the narrator of his true invisibility. He is always so concerned with how he appears, yet this is the time when he’s receiving the most recognition and he’s not even himself at all. Once he reaches Hambro’s apartment, he is informed that the brotherhood wants to forfeit their influence over Harlem in pursuit of larger goals. The narrator decides to plot revenge on the brotherhood, discover their true intention, and gather information from Jack’s mistress, Emma. While trying to seduce s woman named Sybil, the narrator receives news that chaos has broken out in the Harlem branch. He gets in a cab and heads toward the riot where a group of looters give him difference explanations for the cause of the fight.