In the opening of this chapter, Invisible Man is walking around the streets of Harlem in the midst of his first northern winter. While walking, Invisible Man sees an advertisement for a product that whitens the skin. This advertisement angers Invisible Man greatly. Invisible Man continues walking along and runs into a vendor selling yams, a traditional food of the south. As Invisible Man eats his yam, two important things occur: Invisible Man recognizes Dr. Bledsoe's disingenuousness and rejection of his past, and these yams confirm Invisible Man's own identity and heritage.

Continuing on, Invisible Man encounters the eviction of an elderly Negro couple and an angry mob. As the mob is preparing to use violent means to interfere with the eviction, Invisible Man makes an invigorating and moving speech relating this old couple to all Negroes. Invisible Man's participation by interfering with the eviction and making the speech makes him a target for the police.

In order to avoid detainment, Invisible Man flees the scene and notices a dark figure following him. As Invisible Man flees, he witnesses two very symbolic events: a funeral procession and the birth of a child. This follower turns out to be a man named Brother Jack who witnessed the speech the Invisible Man gave and is a member of an organization known as the Brotherhood. The two men go to a coffee shop, and Brother Jack attempts to recruit the Invisible Man for his speaking talents. However, the two differ ideologically. Invisible Man made his speech out of humanistic concern for the elderly couple while Brother Jack believes one cannot waste time on individuals because they are already lost. The focus of the emotions should be on advancement of the movement. This is similar to communistic ideology where the group comes before the individual. Invisible Man dismisses the offer and returns home.

After thinking of Mary, Invisible Man questions his recent decision.

Invisible Man: In this chapter, Invisible Man begins to accept his past and promote black identity as can be seen in the speech. Invisible Man's ideas and views clearly begin to change in this chapter.

Yam Vendor: This man is more significant than at first glance. The vendor interrupts Invisible Man's venting of frustration and presents Invisible Man with elements of his past. These yams, traditionally southern, spark thought leading to the realization of Bledsoe's disingenuousness and of Invisible Man's own identity.

Elderly Couple: These two do not make a great contribution to the dialogue of the story, but the two stimulate Invisible Man to act on his emotions and voice his thoughts on the dispossession of the Negro race.

Brother Jack: Brother Jack belongs to the Brotherhood that apparently works for the rights of minorities and other repressed people. Brother Jack has good intentions and treats the Invisible Man decently, but he is very ideological. The Brotherhood's philosophy and Invisible Man's philosophy conflict and cause Invisible Man to refuse the job.

Yam: The yam symbolizes the southern way of life and southern habits. The only identity Invisible Man knows is that of a southern way of life. The yams he eats remind Invisible Man of this heritage.

Elderly Couple: The elderly couple symbolizes all Negroes. Invisible Man goes into great depth in his speech about dispossession of nothingness. The elderly couple worked for 80 years and had nothing, yet somehow they were being dispossessed of this nothingness. This dispossession of the couple's nothingness symbolizes the Negro race's dispossession of nothingness.

Funeral Procession and Birth: The funeral procession and birth scenes during Invisible Man's flight symbolize a recurring theme throughout this novel: death and rebirth.

Union/Brotherhood: It is in this chapter that one first meets the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood has good aims but ideological dogma and a communistic appearance.

This chapter is generally set somewhere in Harlem. Invisible Man starts from home and ventures to the yam vendor, the elderly couple, and finally to a coffee shop with Brother Jack. The majority of the action takes place outside and usually in or near the streets. The outside is significant in this chapter because Invisible Man is experiencing the cold of his first northern winter metaphorically and literally.

"'They're my birthmark,' I said. 'I yam what I am!'"(266)

Invisible Man makes this statement to the yam vendor while asking for more yams. This quotation shows Invisible Man's realization of his self identity.

"'That's a good word, "Dispossessed"! "Dispossessed," eighty-seven years and dispossessed of what? They ain't got nothing, they caint get nothing, they never had nothing. So who was dispossessed?' I growled" (279).

This excerpt is from the most profound section of Invisible Man's speech where he symbolizes the elderly couple as all of the Negroes. The dispossession that occurs there in Harlem is no different from the dispossession of the Negro race as a whole.

"'Yes, of course. And you made an effective speech. But you mustn't waste your emotions on individuals, they don't count"' (291).

This quotation comes from Brother Jack in his conversation with Invisible Man. This quotation basically summarizes the Brotherhood's ideology. They believe in working for rights, but only to advance the "movement" and not to assist individuals in need.

Death/Rebirth: This theme can be seen in the flight when Invisible Man encounters the funeral procession and the birth.

Cover-Up: After eating the yams, Invisible Man has an epiphany, realizing that all Bledsoe does is a revocation of his past and a mere attempt to hide his heritage.

Humanity/Equality: This theme can be seen in Invisible Man's speech. The Brotherhood and Invisible Man also show differing beliefs concerning humanity and equality.

Other Chapters

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