Initial thoughts on Invisible Man
I've so far found this novel to be a fairly fast read, aside from the chapter that is almost entirely the speech of the benefactor of the university. One thing that I must note is the idea of correct and incorrect behavior and how frequently the two are not easily identifiable. While the main character seems to act in a manner that seems decent to the reader, nothing turns out right for him and the other characters consistently point out how he goes about things in the wrong way. The main character's right seems to be one of honestly, slight ignorance, and a hopeful future that is extremely similar to a white man's future.
In the eyes of the black characters in the work and some of the white characters, the narrator is a fool. His actions are the actions of a Horatio Alger character, he does all the right things has a bit of help, and comes out on top. However this novel, to me, is the "anti-Alger." The main character does the "right" thing and does not end up on top. There is more to life than honesty and the "right" thing. There is a sensibilty that is not frequently confronted in other novels.

I must also note that when I first read the autobiography of Malcolm X, and it was a while ago so I don't remember it well, before his complete transformation he would not accept the help of whites with his reform campaign, not even financially. The reason? Even with funds there is a certain amount of control that whites exert on blacks when they choose to "help" them. It does not even need to be a question of intentions. Even a well meaning white who is organizing campaigns or donating money will feel entitled to his or her say in the campaign.
This is relevent to the tezt because I fell that the Brotherhood's leaders are exerting this sort of control over the main character especially because they have formed the organization that he's working for. In reality they are no different from the benefactors of the college. The will allow civil rights but only when those rights are obtained the right, aka white way. Why would any white person in Harlem really care about the rights of black people especially an affluent one? It is suspicious the way these people picked out the specific black to do their job. If they really cared about the cause wouldn't they just let one rise to power, and then back him with their support? The fact that they must choose their Harlem leader/speaker and that he must then act in complete accordance with their rules is psychotically controlling and signifies their fear of an African American who just openly espouses his ideas on any random street corner. Just because their control does no have a white sheet and hood does not make it any less frightening or real.
Marilyn