Chapter One begins when Invisible Man was a child standing at his grandfather's deathbed. Only moments before he passes away, the grandfather tells Invisible Man’s father
*after I’m gone I want you to keep up the good fight. I never told you, but our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy’s country ever since I give up my gun back in the Reconstruction. Live with your head in the lion’s mouth. I want you to overcome ‘em with yeses, undermine ‘em with grins, agree ‘em to death and destruction, let ‘em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open...Learn it to the younguns (16).*
Invisible Man is deeply affected by his grandfather's last words, and years later he will continue to ponder over their meaning.
The book then jumps to the day Invisible Man graduated from high school. He makes a speech before his class which shows that humility is the secret, indeed, the very essence of progress. Invisible Man is highly praised for this speech and asked to speak again to some of the important white citizens of the town.
However, before he is permitted to make his speech, Invisible Man must participate in the battle royal. In this event, Invisible Man and several of his classmates must fight blindfolded until only one person remains standing. While the drunken crowd of respected bankers, lawyers, judges, doctors, and even a pastor finds this to be great entertainment, to the participants it is quite humiliating and degrading. Eventually Invisible Man and one other man are left alone in the ring. Invisible Man offers to let the other man win, but the request is refused. Therefore, the two continue to fight until Invisible Man eventually loses.
Invisible Man watches as a small rug is brought out, and he wonders if he will make his speech on the rug. Before he can think about it more, the boys are called up to collect their money. The money is strewn across the rug and at a signal the boys rush to collect it. They soon discover that the rug is electrified. Each time they reach for and touch a coin or piece of gold, a shock shoots through their body. Eventually the boys are told to stop and are given five dollars. The others leave, but Invisible Man remains to give his speech.
During the speech, people ignore him or shout requests at him. Invisible Man is covered in sweat and blood from the fight and rolling on the electrified rug. Still Invisible Man continues proudly until he finishes his speech. At the end, the superintendent gives him a briefcase and instructs him to *"take this prize and keep it well...some day it will be filled with important papers that will help shape the destiny of your people" (32).* Invisible Man is overwhelmed with joy and feels a new importance. Inside the briefcase is "a scholarship to the state college for Negroes" (32).
Invisible Man leaves the building still overjoyed. He is not upset when he discovers that the gold pieces he has scrambled for on the electric rug are only brass tokens. Neighbors congratulate him and for once he "even felt safe from grandfather, whose deathbed curse usually spoiled my triumphs" (32). However, this safety lasts only until he dreams of his grandfather and the grandfather says *"Keep This Nigger-Boy Running" (33).* Invisible Man does not understand the meaning of this dream, and it continues to bother him for years to come.
Invisible Man - In this chapter, Invisible Man goes from being a young boy watching his grandfather die to becoming a high school graduate. He is perpetually worried by his grandfather’s last words. It becomes clear that Invisible Man is naive during the Battle Royal scene. Invisible Man is blind to reality, and throughout the novel he struggles to remove the blindfolds.
Chapter One takes place largely in the building where the Battle Royal occurs. Although the place is filled with the most respected people in the town, it is dark, smoky, loud, and smells of alcohol.
"after I’m gone I want you to keep up the good fight. I never told you, but our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy’s country ever since I give up my gun back in the Reconstruction. Live with your head in the lion’s mouth. I want you to overcome ‘em with yeses, undermine ‘em with grins, agree ‘em to death and destruction, let ‘em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open...Learn it to the younguns" (16).
These final words by Invisible Man’s grandfather bother Invisible Man throughout his life. As a young boy, he is told to forget the words and they are regarded by his family as insane, but the words continue to haunt Invisible Man, and he is always searching for their meaning.
"take this prize and keep it well...some day it will be filled with important papers that will help shape the destiny of your people" (32).
The briefcase becomes an important symbol in the novel. Over time, Invisible Man places numerous items inside it, and its contents become significant.
"Keep This Nigger-Boy Running" (33).
During a dream, Invisible Man’s grandfather comes to him and tells him to look inside his briefcase. Inside he finds numerous envelopes one inside in other. The grandfather tells him that the envelopes represent time. Invisible Man finally gets to one with a "short message in letters of gold." The note says "To Whom It May Concern,...Keep This Nigger-Boy Running." Invisible Man then awakes as he hears his grandfather laughing. Invisible Man is confused by the message, and it continues to follow him for years to come.
Prologue| Chapter 1| Chapter 2| Chapter 3| Chapter 4| Chapter 5| Chapter 6| Chapter 7| Chapter 8| Chapter 9| Chapter 10| Chapter 11| Chapter 12| Chapter 13| Chapter 14| Chapter 15| Chapter 16| Chapter 17| Chapter 18| Chapter 19| Chapter 20| Chapter 21| Chapter 22| Chapter 23| Chapter 24| Chapter 25| Epilogue