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Trueblood's Artifact Revealed In Black And Blue

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Appeasement “We Wear the Mask” and “Black and Blue” exemplify the theme of African Americans putting on a facade to avoid prosecution from whites, which constantly recurs throughout Invisible Man. This novel is an artifact published in 1952 and it provides pivotal knowledge about the time period it took place, the 1930’s. This artifact was superbly written and also extremely difficult to understand through just solely reading, but many texts were also created during this time period that assist in understanding the novel. “We Wear the Mask” delves into a theme presented in Invisible Man, which is pleasing the privileged white class by “[wearing] the mask that grins and lies” (Dunbar 1). This metaphorical mask symbolizes when African Americans …show more content…

After reading and re-reading I cannot figure out whether or not Trueblood’s story was true. I do not know if he was just telling the story to benefit himself or if the story with Matty Lou actually occurred. The answer was unclear until the presentation about Trueblood. In class we had an inconclusive discussion about the credibility of his story, and it was left to our own interpretation about whether Trueblood’s story was true. After re-reading and doing research I have come to the conclusion that Trueblood’s story about impregnating his daughter was true. I believe Trueblood’s story was true, but he soon realized he could use this story to his advantage and exaggerated it. After receiving his eviction notice from Tuskegee University, Trueblood realizes he can manipulate the wealthier white class to benefit himself. There has always been a constant wage gap between white and black folks, which Trueblood must have been aware of. “By 1933, African Americans found it all but impossible to find jobs of any kind in agriculture or industry” as a result of the great depression (Trotter 1). Trueblood knew about this wage gap and while his family was in dire need of money he knew he could use his story to get money. Trueblood then told his story exaggerated it and many people gave him money for it. It is shown how Trueblood is a master of manipulation, when Invisible discusses how “Trueblood …show more content…

Throughout the year we continuously analyzed Invisible Man and were given many texts to help us understand Invisible Man even more. Texts that we were recently given were “Sonny’s Blues” and “Still I Rise”. These texts helped me gain a deeper understanding of the artifact in this unit, Invisible Man. “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin discusses a similar theme that is also presented Invisible Man. The theme of needing music in one’s life. This theme has appeared in many texts and especially in the artifact. Sonny desired to be a musician in his life, and that goal is what represented full life for him. Music is what Sonny wanted to do with his life and that is the goal he strived to achieve. Sonny believes that if someone is not doing what they want what is the point of living, he declares this when proclaiming “I think people ought to do what they want to do, what else are they alive for” (Baldwin 11). Invisible also needed music in his life. He loved listening to music and he did not only listen to it on the surface level. Invisible “not only entered the music but descended, like Dante into its depths”, he experienced this music and it greatly impacted his life (Ellison 9). “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou presents the theme of overcoming adversity. Maya Angelou endured a lot of hate in her life, but she constantly declared “like dust, I’ll rise” (Angelou 1). Invisible had

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When one examines Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, immediately one notices the duality of being black in society. Ellison uses the narrator to highlight his invisibility in society, although African-Americans have brought forth so many advances. This statement best represents the novel as the narrator examines his location (geography), his social identity, historical legacies of America, and the ontological starting point for African-Americans. The “odyssey” that the narrators partakes in reflects the same journey that many African-Americans have been drug through for generations.

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Overall, this piece shows that encouragement and judgement can have both positive and negative outcomes. The narrator is able to change his attitude on life, about himself and Sonny’s relationship, and most importantly Sonny’s choices by listening to the music his brother played and loved. Accepting Sonny’s blues opened the narrator’s mind to a better life with his brother because he learned that suffering and dread can be transformed to beautiful music and a loving bond between brothers that cannot be

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As a matter of fact, the storyteller does not appreciate Sonny's motivations to play jazz music until the evening he socially joins Sonny to his stage show at a nightclub. Sitting in a dark corner at the nightclub, the storyteller listens to his brother play, considering the reminder of Sonny's friend, Creole, of what the Blues are about, "The tale, of the blues, how we live, and how we are delighted, how we suffer... and how we triumph... must be heard... it's the only light we've got in all this darkness." (Baldwin 139). For the narrator, he perceives that the Blues is the manifestation for Sonny's emotions, especially his suffering, because, as Creole would say, music is the only light in the

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James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” uses Sonny as an antagonist character to the protagonist, his eldest brother. While Sonny and his eldest brother both are the center of the stories content, Baldwin uses Sonny to represent a challenge to the narrator of the story. Through the rekindling of a brother’s relationships, Baldwin is able to depict Sonny's motivations and aspirations through his flaws, and the way in which his flaws affected his life. Sonny’s flaws ultimately shape Sonny’s character, his reserved feelings and silent demeanor isolate him from the world, but at the same time contribute to his aspirations and motivations by music.

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Clark states in his article “James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues: Childhood, Light, and Art” that “…the narrator is seated “in a dark corner” ...in contrast the stage is dominated by light” (Clark). Clark shows by this that within the darkness that surrounds Sonny, music is a place of hope for him. Light is shown to effect Sonny in a different way than his Uncle. Light is shown to effect Sonny in a surrounding that would have been a place of comfort for him before his addiction. The narrator states, “…[they] were being careful not to step into that circle of light too suddenly…that if they moved into the light too suddenly… they would perish” (Baldwin 112).

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He sees that Sonny's music is a bona fide reaction to life. He sees that one who makes music is managing the thunder ascending from the void and forcing request on it as it hits the air. He comprehends that his sibling's music is an endeavor to recharge the old human story For while the story of how we endure, and how we are enchanted, and how we may triumph is never new, it generally should be

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In the novel, Invisible Man, the narrator is always in pursuance of justice. His consistent search is driven by his inability to be treated as an equal in this white man’s society. As he fought for justice for the “dispossessed” the Narrator was constantly faced with injustice. Although his success seemed positive in the eyes of others, it had a negative impact on his life as a whole.

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Psychologist Robert Berezin says that, “Human struggle is not a brain problem, but a human problem.” (Berezin 1) In the short story “Sonny’s Blues,” the author James Baldwin reveals the dark truth about human nature, and through a psychoanalytic criticism perspective it can reveal how people cope with their suffering and problems. The main character, Sonny, is suffering from the hardships that many people face throughout life. Sonny’s suffering becomes so unbearable that he refuses to accept this inevitable situation, and seeks relief and control through the use of jazz and drugs.

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When the narrator accompanies Sonny to the nightclub to listen to him play his music; Sonny’s music portrays his wisdom as he plays about his brother’s frustrations with the trials and sufferings they both endured. Sonny’s artful playing of the blues opens the narrator’s heart to listen genuinely. If one listens to what lies on the inside that is the key to finding oneself. Joseph Flibbert states in the article “Sonny’s Blues” Overview, “In the music he hears, he sees his mother’s face, and that of his little girl … The powerful incantations of Sonny’s art reaches his soul, and for the first time, he listens to the dark voice within”.

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