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Narrator's Grandfather Dies
The Narrator's grandfather made an impressive speech as he was dying, telling his grandson to "overcome 'em with yeses" and to "agree them to death". This event frequently haunts the narrotor in his dreams, and he discovers at the end that he has followed this advice inadvertently.
Tombstone created using http://www.tombstonebuilder.com/. -
High School Graduation Speech
The narrator finds himself giving a speech at his graduation. A few more prominent members of society are so impressed by his speech that they invite him to give it to a number of wealthy white people in town. The white people force him to fight other young black men in a boxing match, and then to fight over treasure, before indulgently allowing him to make his speech.
Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carlstadt.org/file/1792/download&imgrefurl=http://www.carlstadt.org/sub -
Narrator Meets Mr. Norton
The narrator is now in college, and he has been instructed to show one of the school's wealthy investors around the school. Mr. Norton is the investor, and he speaks with the narrator about many things, and tells the narrator that he is "Mr. Norton's future" and that through their connection, if the narrator fails, Mr. Norton fails. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=2T8&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=WJ1AaWsTE5 -
Narrator is Expelled
Following the events of Mr. Norton's visit (which included hearing a disturbing story from a family that lives in a home bordering the college and then visiting a disreputable establishment in order to acquire some whiskey for the ill Mr. Norton), Dr. Bledsoe, president of the college, expels the narrator, with a promise that he may return if he works hard for one of Bledsoe's friends during the next year.
Picture from: http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=col&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=or -
Narrator Arrives in New York City
The narrator heads north, hoping to find work with one of Dr. Bledsoe's connections, in order to redeem himself and get back to school. He enters NYC, and Harlem and there he sees Ras the Exhorter for the first time as he arrives in the city. Picture from: http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=5sl&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=tc8HEERKzI47GM:&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Century-Images-Deborah-Willis/dp/0847833356&doc -
Bledsoe's Treachery is Revealed
The narrator walks into the final office of Bledsoe's companions with the final letter of recommendation. The man who is supposed to receive the letter, Mr. Emerson, is not there. The man who is there (Emerson's son) shows the letter to the narrator. Inside the letter, Bledsoe has not written a recommendation for a job, but has instead said that he needs this character out of his hair for awhile and that the narrator can never return to the school.
Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&cli -
Narrator Gets New Job/Factory Explosion
After the narrator learns of Dr. Bledsoe's treachery, he seeks work elsewhere. He is hired by a paint factory (proclaiming to sell "Liberty Paint".) He works mixing paints for a few hours, and then he is sent down to work in the boiler room after he's incorrectly mixed a few things. In the boiler room, he gets into a fight with the manager, Lucius Brockaway. Brockaway has the narrator set several gages in the boiler room incorrectly, and an explosion occurs. Picture: http://www.uproxx.com/techno -
Narrator Suffers Through Electro-shock/ Is Released From Hospital
The narrator is in the hospital, and he wakes up a few times during his treatment. His wounds from the explosion are being treated with electro-shock therapy. He suddenly finds himself being released from the hospital, and set out into the streets. He is taken in by a woman named Mary.
Picture:http://www.uproxx.com/technology/2011/05/what-caused-the-foxconn-explosion/attachment/explosion/ -
The Eviction
The narrator is walking around Harlem, and he sees an eviction is taking place. There is already a crowd around the family. He begins to speak up, trying to get the people to calm down. Instead, he incites a riot. Picture:Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=-0KawjCJmkXKTM:&imgrefurl=http://www.homepropertymanagement.com/palm-beach-eviction-landlord-rescue/&docid=_dqxp4e9nZ5XXM&imgurl=ht -
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Receives New Name
Upon joining the Brotherhood, the narrator is given a new name and a new identity. He is told to no longer communicate with anyone from his old life. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=odm&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=zuwtvv8jC6kW2M:&imgrefurl=http://bellaireumc.org/name-tags/&docid=ODsnYAf6YhV7tM&imgurl=http://bellaireumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/hello_nametag.jpg&w=520&h=352&ei=NMS-UOvXFabtygHRz4GQBg&zo -
Narrator Gives First Speech For Brotherhood
The narrator is told to give a speech for the Brotherhood. He isn't given a lot of preparation, because the Brotherhood wants to see him raw. He is successful, so that the Brotherhood decides that he should receive instruction from Brother Hambro in the ways and the ideas of the Brotherhood. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=H3R&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=z33wjIaW-u1CiM:&imgrefurl=http://www.algebrarocks.org -
Narrator Appointed "District Spokesperson"
The narrator is appointed the spokesperson for his district in Harlem for the Brotherhood. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=H3R&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=z33wjIaW-u1CiM:&imgrefurl=http://www.algebrarocks.org/lessons.html&docid=TFgSIWETO8UFrM&imgurl=http://www.algebrarocks.org/uploads/8/5/8/8/8588732/8096761_orig.gif&w=404&h=364&ei=XMW-UPbGNK6ayQHOrYCwCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=493&vpy=155&dur=4574&hovh=213&hovw -
Narrator Meets Tod Clifton
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Narrator Receives Steel Link
Brother Tarp, a lower member of the Brotherhood, gives the narrator an steel chain link, and tells his personal story. The link is a symbol that the narrator carries with him for the rest of the novel. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=8W7&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=pMW50vfWy7QgdM:&imgrefurl=http://www.midwayisd.org/Page/11373&docid=NL0rkmwqn_zt-M&imgurl=http://www.midwayisd.org/Page/11373&w=481&h=292&ei=mce -
Narrator Receives New Assignment
After Brother Westrum accuses the narrator of not working in the Brotherhood's interests, the committee meets. They decide that he needs to be reassigned to another district and discuss "the woman issue". -
Tod Clifton Disapears
When the narrator is called back to his initial district to work for the Brotherhood, he discovers that Clifton has not been seen for several months. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=8W7&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=pMW50vfWy7QgdM:&imgrefurl=http://www.midwayisd.org/Page/11373&docid=NL0rkmwqn_zt-M&imgurl=http://www.midwayisd.org/Page/11373&w=481&h=292&ei=mce-UP2OBJOWyAGP_YCIDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=532&vpy=476&d -
Clifton is Rediscovered/Clifton Dies
The narrator is walking along the street when he sees Clifton selling dolls. He is horrified and hurries away. He hears a commotion behind him, and as he turns around, and sees Clifton die. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?start=208&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=uMS&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=x4zELz7PEQwtYM:&imgrefurl=http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/6004/1/1/how-to-draw-an-easy-gun.htm&docid=kYkBjo8G9InqiM&imgurl=http://www.dragoart.com/tu -
Tod Clifton's Funeral/Reprimands From Brotherhood
The narrator hosts a grand funeral for Tod Clifton, including a funeral march through the streets of Harlem on the way to the graveyard. This leads to severe reprimands from the committee in the Brotherhood, who are upset that he went to such an effort for someone who was no longer a member of the Brotherhood. -
The Narrator Is Confused For Rinehart
In a night wherein the narrator realizes his own invisibility, he is repeatedly mistaken for another man named Rinehart. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&hl=en&client=firefox-a&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=dCBxHqH3twcSzM:&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/b%3Fie%3DUTF8%26node%3D2204481011&docid=m5myaK4vcvz0IM&imgurl=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21Zo-U1KpUL._SL160_AA160_.jpg&w=160&h=160&ei=_8--UMmnNuaHygHa_YGQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc -
Meets With Hambro; Meets With Sybil
In his final connections with the Brotherhood, the narrator first has a conversation with Brother Hambro (about how his district will be sacrificed for the other districts). He then goes and has sex with one of the Brother's wives, Sybil. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=tXn&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=PVBe1bthRrCfVM:&imgrefurl=http://philmckay.com/evangelism/&docid=5MoyAmWmKfmblM&imgurl=http://philmckay.com -
Riot
There is a riot on the streets. First the narrator is shot, and takes a glancing bullet to the head. Next he throws a spear at Ras the Exhorter. A final important event is the narrator burns all of his papers (high school diploma, brotherhood papers, etc). Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=hxS&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=5DPqEsyn4sIhRM:&imgrefurl=http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-burning-pape -
Narrator Meets Mr. Norton Again
The narrator runs into Mr. Norton again, and discovers that Mr. Norton does not recognize him. -
Narrator Goes Underground
The narrator goes underground (literally) and tries to process all that he has learned. Picture:http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=H1S&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1600&bih=796&tbm=isch&tbnid=Xqc52mdD8iTzGM:&imgrefurl=http://naturallyalise.com/blog/2012/04/idiosyncrasies-quirks-and-other-weirdness-part-1-of-a-whole-bunch/manhole-cover-2/&docid=P8JxW4eG2WwRcM&imgurl=http://naturallyalise.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/manhole-cover.jpg&w=2560
