chapter 18 ppt of invisible man

2. Chapter 18 begins with the Invisible Man receiving a mysterious note
warning him to keep working solely for the Brotherhood and to not
become too focused on individualism or the benefits that the
Brotherhood has on him. With this, the Invisible Man is greatly
perplexed and he goes to Brother Tarp for help with interpretation of
this letter from an unknown source. Brother Tarp explains to the
Invisible Man that he has heard nothing but good things from other
Brothers about his work for the Brotherhood and that he should have
nothing to worry about concerning the letter. As the conversation
continues, Brother Tarp begins talking about his past and gives the
Invisible Man a piece from the chain he wore for nineteen years for
saying ‘no’ to a white man that wanted something of his before
escaping. The Invisible Man continues to wonder who could have sent
him the letter and Brother Wrestrum comes into his office.

3. Brother Wrestrum lectures him about the importance of living for the
cause of the Brotherhood and nothing else and the Invisible Man
begins to suspect that maybe he was the one who sent the letter. With
Brother Wrestrum still in the office, the editor of the new picture
magazine calls the Invisible Man asking for an interview. The IM
refuses at first, saying they should be interviewing Brother Clifton
and not him but he then accepts the interview. Weeks later, a meeting
is called concerning the Invisible Man and the Brotherhood shows a
magazine with the Invisible Man on the cover. They charge him for
being a ‘petty individualist’ and for working towards benefiting
himself rather than the Brotherhood. The Invisible Man is eventually
ordered to leave Harlem to lecture downtown on the Women
Question.

4. Analysis
The letter delivered to the Invisible Man remains a mystery throughout the chapter but all evidence
hints that Brother Wrestrum wrote it. He talks to the Invisible Man in a condescending tone, as if he is
blaming him for working against the Brotherhood before the interview even occurred.
The iron link that Brother Tarp gives to the Invisible Man is very symbolic in this chapter and the
Invisible Man describes it as a father passing something on to his son. This makes the Invisible Man
feel even more complete and welcome with the Brotherhood. The iron link represents the
perseverance that Brother Tarp showed through nineteen years of imprisonment and then finally
escaping. Brother Tarp is giving the Invisible Man a sense of hope to be strong in everything he does.
When the Invisible Man is charged by the Brotherhood and ordered to leave, he feels as if he is losing
everything all over again. He describes his life with the Brotherhood in the same way he described his
life at the college, as both of them helped him find an identity and offered a place where he felt he
belonged. Unlike leaving the college, when leaving the Brotherhood, the Invisible Man knew he would
be back and went out with perseverance. He believed that he could prove his loyalty to the cause and
continue his passion of speaking.
The Invisible Man being put on suspension of the Brotherhood represents another important theme in
the novel: that the Invisible Man is always running from something. He is trying to find himself but he
just cannot seem to stay in one place for longer than a short amount of time because whenever he is
finally happy, something always goes wrong.
Another common theme seen in the chapter is that the Invisible Man is blamed for acts he does not
even mean to commit. He simply lives his life trying to fit in and hiding his natural instincts, but some
how things never fail to go wrong and he is forced to keep running.