Invisible Man Ch 21 Discussion Questions

Chapter 21

1. What does TIM think about what happened to Clifton?
2. Would it have helped the situation if TIM jumped in? Or made it worse? Or something else? What does it say about TIM that he didn’t? How does TIM feel about the fact that he didn’t jump in to help?
3. What does the following statement by the narrator mean: “But the odds against us were too great for such weakness.  We had to use every politically effective weapon against them” (448).
   1. Who is we? Who is them?
   2. What is the weakness? What are the weapons?
4. What does TIM do in response to Clifton’s death? Why do you think he organizes this? Is he feeling guilty or is he being an opportunist?
5. What was the community’s response to Clifton’s death? To his funeral/march?
6. What is the significance of TIM’s speech at Clifton’s funeral? (454-459)
   1. What does it say?
   2. What might it reflect on his views of the Brotherhood?
   3. Is TIM hopeful or hopeless?
7. What do you think of the last paragraph of the chapter? What does TIM mean by “something had to be done” - what do you think that might be?