Chapter 15

Chapter Summary
The chapter begins as Invisible Man wakes up to the sound of people hitting the radiator because the heating system does not work. As he is getting dressed, Invisible Man discovers a bank in his room for the first time. It is a negro man with a large smile, holding out his hand. He is offended by the bank and calls it "self-mocking." He then picks up the bank and hits it against the radiator. The bank breaks and the pieces scatter all over the floor. Invisible Man is now scared of what Mary might do if she discovers the broken bank, so he quickly picks up the pieces, thinking of where to hide them. As he picks up the pieces, he notices a "Feed Me" sign on the bank. Invisible Man then goes to talk to Mary. He gives her a one hundred dollar bill to pay for the rent and says that he won it in the lottery. As they are talking, roaches begin to pour out of the walls and Mary and Invisible Man get to work squashing them.

Invisible Man then goes back to his room, puts the broken bank in his briefcase, and leaves. As he walks through New York, Invisible Man tries putting the bank in a woman's trashcan, but she notices him and makes him take it out, threatening to call the police. Invisible Man takes the bank and continues to walk. He then purposefully drops the bank and continues walking. A man notices him drop the bank and runs up to him and tries him the bank. Invisible Man denies the bank, but the man forces him to take it.

He takes the bank and goes to the subway. On the subway, he notices an article on the eviction protest which he spoke at the other day. In the article he is known as the "rabble rouser." Knowing his new identity gives Invisible Man confidence. He buys a new suit and then calls Brother Jack, who wants Invisible Man to go to a room and read some Brotherhood literature because he is supposed to speak at a rally that night. Invisible Man goes to the room and prepares for the rally.

Setting
The main action in this chapter occurs at three places: Mary's house, the streets of Harlem, and the room with the Brotherhood literature.

Characters
The main characters in this chapter are Invisible Man, Mary, and the two people who see Invisible Man with the bank.

Symbolism
The bank symbolizes past Negro culture, dating back to slavery. The "Feed Me" sign symbolizes poverty. By smashing and trying to get rid of the bank, Invisible Man attempts to rid himself of his past and to start new with his identity in the Brotherhood. He is unable to get rid of his past, which is shown by the man and the woman making Invisible Man take back the bank which he tries to leave behind.

The banging on the radiator shows the impatience of the tenants and symbolizes the impatient attitude of American society to the Black population.

Themes
Identity: the woman who sees Invisible Man put the bank in her trash calls him a southern Negro while the man who sees him drop the bank calls him a New York Negro. The two people give Invisible Man two different identities, causing him to question his own identity. In the newspaper his identity is unknown; he is called the "rabble rouser."

Betrayal: TIM betrays Mary for the Brotherhood.

MOTIFS
Machines: the radiator
Bank
Brotherhood
Music: rhythm of knocking on radiator; Mary's singing

Quotations
"Then I was awake and not awake" (318).

Ellison begins the chapter with an oxymoron: "In my hand its expression seemed more of a strangulation than a grin. It was choking, filled to the throat with coins" (319). This shows how TIM tries to deny his culture and identity, represented by the bank

"Suddenly as enraged by the tolerance or lack of discrimination, or whatever, that allowed Mary to keep such a self-mocking image around, as by the knocking." (319): TIM is offended by the bank.