STEPHANIE FITCH
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Ms. Fitch's
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English 4 Class

Invisible Man Ch 17 Discussion Questions

2/27/2017

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​Chapter 17
  1. What do you think of Brother Hambro? Why did the brothers have TIM meet with him? What does TIM think of Brother Hambro and the training with him?
  2. Where or how does “invisibility” come up in this chapter?
  3. What is TIM’s assignment? What do you think about the assignment?
  4. What do you think are Brother Jack’s motives? The organization’s motives?
  5. Brother Jack speaks about “increasing the effectiveness of our action” and organizing “the energy that has already been released” (362) and states that “if we fail to lead them into action, they will become passive, or they will become cynical” (363).
    1. What does this quote mean?
    2. What does Brother Jack want to do? What does he want TIM to do? Why have TIM do it, why can’t Brother Jack go out their himself?
    3. Is Brother Jack being racist or discriminatory in any way in this statement? How so or why not?
  6. What does Brother Jack say about The Brotherhood’s stance on violence?
  7. What do you think of Brother Clifton? What does TIM think of him? What happens between them and why?
  8. Who’s Ras the Exhorter? What does he do? How does he view TIM or the Brotherhood?
    1. What does “Uncle Tom” mean?
  9. Who do you agree with more, TIM or Ras?
    1. Who’s a better speaker? - Rhetorically more convincing?
    2. What would TIM’s grandfather think of Ras and his views?
  10. TIM and Brother Jack keep bringing up “science,” “discipline,” and “ideology” - why do these terms keep coming up and what do they mean in the context they are used?
 
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Invisible Man Ch 16 Discussion Questions

2/27/2017

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Chapter 16
  1. How does he describe himself before the big speech? (Clothes, feelings, etc.) What are his thoughts and feelings before he speaks?
  2. What is the significance of the song lyrics on page 339?
  3. Discuss his speech:
    1. How does he start off? (341) What do you think of how he began?
    2. How does the crowd react to him? Do their reactions change? When/why?
    3. How does his speech end? (346) What do you think of how he ended?
  4. What is so significant about the word “dispossessed?”
  5. What does TIM think of his speech? How does he perceive himself right now?
  6. How does Brother Jack and the other brothers react to TIM’s speech? What do you think of Brother Jack’s reaction to the other brothers’ thoughts on TIM’s speech?
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Invisible Man Chapter 15 Discussion Questions

2/16/2017

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Chapter 15
  1. What is the significance of the bank TIM breaks? What is the significance of what he does with it after he breaks it?
  2. Does it matter where certain people throw away their trash? Why or why not? Comment on the problems TIM encounters trying to throw away the trash.
  3. Why do you think Brother Jack wants to help TIM? (Check in with your impressions of Brother Jack - do you still trust/distrust him?)
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Invisible Man Chapter 14 Discussion Questions

2/16/2017

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Chapter 14
  1. Do you trust Brother Jack? Why or why not? Do you think he is genuinely interested in fighting against racism?
  2. Is Brother Jack racist? Comment specifically on the conversation about singing on page 312.
  3. Do you think it’s okay for Brother Jack to give TIM a new “identity” - why or why not? How does this identity that Brother Jack gives him connected to the idea of “invisibility?”
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Malcolm-X Movie Questions

2/13/2017

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Malcolm X Movie Questions
After finishing the movie, answer these questions in one document to submit to Turnitin.com. Due Monday, 2/20/17 by midnight (11:59pm or earlier). Use complete sentences and number your responses. Each question should have a minimum of one paragraph each, but you may end up getting more in-depth with some questions more so than others – that’s fine and up to you which ones you want to elaborate more on – so you might end up responding to some questions with 2-3 paragraphs. Minimum of 3 pages total (no more than 6) which comes out to a tiny bit more than half a page per question. MLA format. I recommend you start answers to some of these questions while you watch the movie, then polish/finish responses when the class finishes the movie. Feel free to reference other resources in your answers (Douglass, MLK/MX speeches, previous novels, class discussions, etc.) although it is not required. Answer all 5 questions!

  1. Compare and contrast Malcolm’s life and TIM’s experiences so far (up to chapter 12). Based on what Malcolm X experienced, what predictions do you have for TIM?
  2. After returning from Mecca, Malcolm outlines his new plan for solving the problem of racial relations between the African American community and the White American community in America.  Discuss if his plan to divide the races and let them work on their own to solve a common problem is the right way to solve the problem of racism in America or not.  Be sure to address if is racist or not.  He definitively says that whites cannot join his group and instead should work amongst themselves.  Is that being racist?  If you believe that it is a racist practice, is racism justified in this situation?  If is it not a racist practice, then what about it makes it not racist?  Do you think it will work?
  3. After Malcolm’s separation from the Nation of Islam, Malcolm finds himself unsure of the future.  In a rare moment of unguarded emotion, Malcolm says in front of Alex Haley (the author of his autobiography, which the movie was based on), “We had the best organization the black man’s ever had – and n*****s ruined it (p. 418)!”  He says this because he feels the Nation of Islam has lost its true purpose of uniting Black Americans under one religion – and thus creating a political group that could change American society - and that it was the ignorant African American people who allowed the Islamic community to become divided.  Alex Haley says that this is the only time he ever heard Malcolm use a racist term to describe his own people.  What makes it so surprising is that he says this at a time in his career he is at his most non-racist point of view about America since he has returned from Mecca. Is Malcolm allowed to use this term or not?  Argue both sides of this argument before you come to a conclusion.  You CANNOT simply say that he can because he is black.  You must prove that he can or cannot. You can also talk about how everyone or no one should be allowed to use the term instead of just focusing on Malcolm and this specific situation as long as you use Malcolm as an example.  (Feel free to also bring up any connections from Invisible Man so far.)
  4. Malcolm once said of Black Americans, “You can’t hate Africa and not hate yourself.” Can you hate where you racially come from and not hate yourself? Argue both sides of this statement.  You do not have to limit yourself to Africa; you can discuss any person’s racial background. (This is a good opportunity to bring up ties to TIM.) 
  5. When trying to address the racial injustices in America, what do people need to understand in order to overcome racism in America?  First, decide on which group of Americans you would like to address (little children, lawmakers, racists, etc.) and then list and explain the three top things that they need to. Explain how these three things will lead to a solution to America’s racism problem.  You do not have to come up with the solution, you just have to explain why these three things are essential when coming up with that solution.
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Invisible Man Chapter 13 Discussion Questions

2/13/2017

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Chapter 13
  1. What is the significance of food in culture? How has food come up so far in the novel and why might it be significant?
  2. Do evictions like the one TIM comes upon still happen today? How so/where?
  3. Is it better to speak up on a problem that isn’t yours, even if you might get in trouble, or should you just mind your own business?
    1. What would TIM’s grandfather want him to do?
    2. Connect to discussion/questions/speeches on forms of protest.
  4. Should elders get special treatment? Why and in what ways or why not?
  5. What do you think is influencing TIM the most: his grandfather’s words, staying with Mary, Bledsoe kicking him out of the college, or someone else/something else?
  6. Analyze TIM’s “speech” on pages 277-280 - is it convincing? Why and how so or why not? Does he use rhetorical devices and if so, does he do so effectively?
  7. What is the difference between a protest and a riot? (Think of perspective.)
  8. Do you trust the white guy who is impressed by TIM and takes him to coffee and cheesecake?
  9. ​What does Bledsoing mean? Is TIM Bledsoing? Would his grandfather approve of Bledsoing? (295).
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Invisible Man Chapter 12 Discussion Questions

2/13/2017

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Chapter 12
  1. What does Miss Mary represent?
  2. What would Mary think about TIM’s grandfather’s advice? Why do you think that? (Analyze the specific things she tells him in their conversations.)
  3. Do you think staying with Mary will help TIM or not? Why/why not? Will she push him or will he get stuck?
  4. Discuss TIM’s description of the Men’s House.
    1. What does he depict about class?
    2. What did he do while he was there?
    3. Was his actions bad or freeing? Was he in compliance with his grandfather’s advice or going against it? How so?
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Invisible Man Chapter 11 Discussion Questions

2/13/2017

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Chapter 11
  1. What is bad about TIM not being able to remember his name? What is freeing about not remembering his name?
  2. What colors come up in this chapter? When do they come up and what do they represent?
  3. What are they doing to him? Does TIM know/understand? If so/if not, how does that affect his narration and thus the reader's’ understanding?
  4. Are the doctors/scientists(???)  racist? Why/how or why not/how not?
  5. Do they think TIM is stupid?
  6. How does not having a name connect to invisibility?
  7. Was TIM abandoned?
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Invisible Man Chapter 10 Discussion Questions

2/3/2017

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Chapter 10
  1. Reflect on the symbolism of the color white: where do you see it come up in this chapter? What does it represent?
    1. Compare/contrast the paint company’s moto on white paint with what TIM quotes (218).
  2. What do you think about TIM taking this job?
  3. Do you think what happens with the paint is TIM’s fault? Why or why not?
  4. Reflect on TIM’s interactions with Brockway. Do you think Brockway is a good person? Is he judgemental? Is he justified in his judgements?
  5. Reflect on the usage of the word “fink” and TIM’s reaction to it (219).
  6. Were the men justified in their judgements of TIM? Who would you side with, the union men or Brockway?
  7. Reflect on the quote in italics on 225 - starting with “You were trained to accept the foolishness of such old men as this…” until “but only to escape unmarked” - what does it mean? How does it connect back to his experiences before, during, and after college?
  8. What happened at the end of this chapter? (If you’re not sure/don’t understand, write a specific question about it).
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Invisible Man Chapter 9 Discussion Questions

2/3/2017

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Chapter 9
  1. TIM encounters a black man pushing a cart and singing, who also uses a lot of slang - “looka-year, buddy,” “is you got the dog?” and “daddy-o” (173).
    1. What does TIM’s reaction to him say about TIM?
    2. How does his reaction shift as the conversation progresses?
    3. How does it connect with his grandfather’s last words?
  2. What did you think about TIM’s breakfast choice versus what the counterman assumed he would order (178)?
    1. Was it problematic that the counterman had an assumption about TIM?
    2. Was TIM’s reaction/feelings about the counterman’s assumption problematic?
    3. Is it a matter of “discipline” or is he being a “traitor” or something else?
  3. Quote: (on Dr. Bledsoe) “Whether we liked him or not, he was never out of our minds. That was a secret of leadership” (179).
    1. Is Dr. Bledsoe a good leader for African Americans? In what way or why not?
  4. Is it okay for whites Americans to own or appreciate African art? Why or why not?
  5. When the young man in Mr. Emerson’s office asks TIM about attending college in New England, TIM thinks to himself: “Did he mean Harvard? Was this good or bad? Where was it leading?” (183), do you think this is a good or bad thing?
  6. The young man in the office says “Ambition is a wonderful force...but sometimes it can be blinding … On the other hand, it can make you successful--like my father … The only trouble with ambition is that it sometimes blinds one to realities …” (184).
    1. What do you think this means?
    2. Is this quote specifically directed at TIM for being African American? Or does he mean it for anyone?
    3. Do you agree with this quote? Why or why not?
  7. Another quote from the grandfather on page 186: “Don’t let no white man tell you his business, ‘cause after he tells you he’s liable to git shame he tole it to you and then he’ll hate you. Fact is, he was hating you all the time …”
    1. What does this quote mean?
    2. How does it connect to his last words from page 16 that we keep bringing up?
  8. Reflect on Dr. Bledsoe’s letter on pages 190-191. Did it surprise you? Do you think Dr. Bledsoe was justified in his message? Do you think it comes from a positive place or is he just trying to save himself/the college?
  9. Reflect on Mr. Emerson’s son - what do you think of him? Is he genuine in his desire to help? Or do you think there is something malicious or even racist behind it?
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