The+significance+behind+the+senses

=Sense Significance within the __Invisible Man__:=

==="Being invisible and without substance, a disembodied voice, as it were, what else could I do? What else but try to tell you what was really happening when your eyes were looking through? And it is this which frightens me: Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?" (581).===  **__Sound/Hearing__** Throughout __Invisible Man,__ Ralph Ellison chooses to lead the narrator through many of his experiences by utilizing the senses, specifically sight and hearing. Many of the experiences in which sight and sound are involved help the narrator come to a profound conclusion, or start him thinking in a rhetorical way. Additionally, those who have the ability to see and those who are invisible are discovered and are shown to have some impact on the narrator. And those who perform in a way in which the hearing sense is stimulated are discovered and are mentioned; however, the moments in which the sense is stimulated not necessarily by a specific person are more significant. A third sense that is also significant is taste, which reminds the narrator many times about his past and allows the reader to see some background of the narrator that is so tightly hidden.

"There is a certain acoustical deadness in my hole, and when I have music I want to // feel // **its vibration, not only with my ear but with my whole body" (8).** [1] The process of sound is a very simple process: one hears a sound, the sound travels to the brain and the brain determines what the sound is and recognizes it coherently and prepares a proper response. Sometimes, if the speaker or emitter of the sound is lucky enough, the sound that is produced will also travel from the ear to the heart and will be felt, in addition to being recognized. The IM is very concerned about feeling the music that he hears and the sounds that he takes in around him. [3] **"Perhaps I like Louis Armstrong because he’s made poetry out of being invisible. I think it must be because he’s unaware that he //is// invisible. And my own grasp of invisibility aids me to understand his music” (8).** [1] In the Prologue, as the IM listens to Armstrong's "(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue?” he has a daydream (slightly influenced by marijuana) in which a black women laments the loss of her white master's loving feelings for her. The woman and the narrator have an interaction, then, about freedom: what it means, how it can be defined and if the woman even knows what it is. This entire daydream occurs after the IM starts to listen to this song. The music opened up his imagination and steadfastly led his mind into a daydream in which freedom, a fundamental idea for all people, especially those of color, is questioned and discussed. The idea that he brings up about Louis Armstrong also being invisible connects the two of them together on a very specific level. That level includes the IM's understanding of Armstrong's music. -As he is daydreaming, he is describing his motions and movements in the form of musical movements using words like "tempo". Musical references, like this one, reoccur throughout the novel and show the significance of music in the life and actions of the IM; jazz plays a particularly large role. The IM feels that the music he hears inspires action and he is afraid of what that action might be. **“At first I was afraid; this familiar music had demanded action, the kind of which I was incapable…” (12).** [1] The action that he is referring to could be a multitude of things: speaking out against the Brotherhood, taking action to further his race, fighting against the ineptitudes of Brockway and Liberty Paints.

**"I could not understand the words, but only the mood, sorrowful, vague and ethereal, of the singing. It throbbed with nostalgia, regret and repentance, and I sat with a lump in my throat..."(117). "I listened, my back pressing against the hard bench, with a numbness, my emotions woven into his words as upon a loom" (120).** [1] The above two quotes show the contrasts between the reactions of the IM when he hears the black woman singing at the start of Barbee's speech and when he is listening to Barbee's speech. The first quote contains multiple words that show that the singer has evoked emotion in the IM, something that Barbee did not do. Even though the IM could not comprehend the words the singer was saying, he heard the song and felt it; thus producing even more emotions within him, even nostalgia. The readers were close to obtaining some background information on the illusive IM. The second quote, reflecting how the IM feels when Barbee in speaking, shows that the speech could not evoke strong, powerful emotions, but could come up with some emotional reaction. However little the emotional reaction is with Barbee's speech, the emotions were not felt within the IM's body, but outside of him. While the singer touched the IM through his body strictly by way of his emotions and heart, Barbee touched the IM by way of taking the IM out of his body and mind and then encompassing him. When the IM hears these sounds, he processes each differently: the singer with his ear, head and heart; Barbee with his ear, head and his emotions strictly through the words Barbee uses. Additionally, while the IM can name all the emotions the singer makes him feel, the IM only feels numb when Barbee starts to speak. The two quotes also show the difference in the reaction of the two different sounds. The music and singing affects him more than the oration does, despite the fact that the IM, himself, is an orator rather than a singer.

In the quote, the IM is deeply affected by a song that was an integral part of his past (thus giving the reader more insight on the IM's past). The song affects him so much that he expounds on his feelings and the setting of the song for some time after he hears it. Not only does he focus on how the sound makes him feel, but he also focuses on how the sound affects what he sees around him and how he sees it. This song from his past affects him mire than any other song: **"...and for a second I heard the shattereing stroke of my heart. Something deep had shaken the crowd, and the old man and the man with the horn had done it" (453).** [1] The IM then continues to discuss how the music and sounds the old man and the horn are producing can defy religion and go beyond the norms and standards that other people set. His profound thinking leads him to more "throat-swellings" that he unfortunately shuts down before the reader gets any more glimpses into his past. As the IM analyzes the song more thoroughly, he figures out that the song moved him and the others listening so much because of the emotions the singer put behind the sound. The emotion that the singer felt while singing those words was transferred to anyone listening and they, in turn, had their own set of feelings in reaction to them. The IM feels nostalgia and remorse; he also feels a deepening emotion for a theory that the Brotherhood had not given him a name for. The IM misses the sound of Tod Clifton's name. This intensely emotional moment for the IM is brought about because of the sound of the old man singing a familiar song, intensified by the surroundings and the loss of a loved one.
 * "and the old man's husky baritone sang a duet in the hot heavt silence. 'There's Many a Thousand Gone.' And standing high up over the park something fought in my throat. It was a song from the past..." (452).** [1]

=Sight/ Eyes:= (image-craftzine.com) -The above quote refers to Trueblood’s realization of his fate, the punishment he deserved for “dream-sin” a.k.a. raping his daughter. His senses have locked him in as he is paralyzed on the floor, yet Trueblood does not remain still, he flinches and saves his own life and proceeds to blame it on human nature: **“Anybody but Jesus Christ hisself woulda moved”(64).** His impulse decision to save his own life may be seen as a slave time parallel. Some slaves would be “obedient” to the will of their cruel masters however, there were those who rebelled from the “incoming ax” and later sought freedom. (Just to clarify: I am not implying that Trueblood was innocent nor that he didn’t deserve death rather just noting the parallelism of the situation.) It is interesting that he parallels himself to a creature of such innocent connotation, this reveals that he is blind to his true nature. Or rather, he refuses to see himself and his actions as nefarious which may be interpreted as mans choice to close his eyes to the uncomfortable or unfortunate truths. The african american community was ashamed and embarrassed by Trueblood and rather than act upon his wrongs they chose to “close their eyes”. Furthermore, Trueblood does not acknowledge the impact his dream-sin has had on his family beyond the fact that they have become better off financially. This simply further affirms his character fault or rather a fault of humanity to be unwilling to accept the wrongs with oneself. Ellison has crafted Trueblood’s character as one who is blind to himself yet can “see society”- or as depicted in the above quote he can envision and fathom the concept of the individual’s perception vs. that of society's’. The jaybird may symbolize the african americans who are mistreated by the elitist whites mirroring the many failed attempts to rise up in society only to result in their demise; left only to watch their own decay. -In addition, another insight into the above quote (which may have been irrelevant when written by Ellison but is still interesting) concerns the choice of bird being attacked by the yellow jackets, a jaybird. Jaybird Coleman was an african american harmonica player during the 1920’s who played in a series of blues bands. This may be seen as a connection to music through sight as the tone of blues music parallels the miserable experience of having to watch oneself struggle.
 * “I was just like a jaybird that the yellow jackets done stung ‘til he’s paralyzed-but still alive in his eyes and he’s watchin’em sting his body to death” (63).**

-Dr. Bledsoe’s desire to hide his emotions from Mr. Norton, a white founder, portrays a different perception of the invisible; an invisible that the individual controls. Bledsoe’s will to disguise the truth concerning his current state of mind enforces the theme of deceit interlaced with reality. It is also made clear that Bledsoe himself understands the importance of appearance as he views himself in a mirror and creates the guise that he wants Mr. Norton to see. Bledsoe’s path to power entailed: acting according to the white man’s label, only showing the founders the side of african american society, a significant amount of lies, and hiding his narcissism in order to maintain his position of authority. His path to power is wholly based on his ability to dupe society; both that of the white founders and the african american college students. This may be perceived as Bledsoe’s manipulative masking of the truth in order to alter the vision of society and thus transform his reality into the invisible a.k.a. “closing the eyes of society”. Moreover, society’s lack of realization to the truth of Bledsoe may also be understood as the blindness of the masses. When multitudes of life fail to question a leader based on the face value of who Bledsoe appears to be they themselves are blind for the superficial is all they can see. -IM’s recognition of Bledsoe’s action is of utmost significance as it is what sets himself apart from society. He in a sense is alienated as he does not see with the same eyes as the masses, as he questions the superficial. However, despite Bledsoe’s manipulative attempt to hide the truth it is still manifested within his eyes- the sparkle of anger. Throughout the entire novel Ellison pinpoints the character’s eyes or at times their “mind’s eye” as the point of truth and often weakness. Thus, the significance behind one’s optical organ is that it often displays the truth of emotion even when it is hidden, damaged or blurred.
 * “As we approached a mirror Dr. Bledsoe stopped and composed his angry face like a sculptor, making it a bland mask, leaving only the sparkle of his eyes to betray the emotion that I had seen only a moment before” (102).**

-At this point in the novel IM is just beginning to break from his past and experience his life for what it really is. He has broken away from his collegiate path and is beginning to view the faults with society. For example, the paint factory’s work force is interracial however, the white supervisor is portrayed as incompetent and the african american (the engineer of the basement) as the mind and body behind the machines; hence, faulted. -The diction of the first sentence is indicative of the theme of black vs. white in both imagery and society which is detected by not only his ability to simply see but his notion to question what he has seen. The words “appeared” lends to the belief that the superficial does not correctly portray reality, just as one should never “judge a book by its cover”. The imagery created by “gray tinge glowed through the whiteness” mirrors that of the state of society at the time in that the city is one of mixed races however, it is far from equal. The african americans live their lives trying to form an uprising (Ras the Exhorter) or attempting to gain standing through a movement based on history and science (the Brotherhood). Yet, the african americans remain beneath the elitist whites and their separate society resulting merely in a “gray tinge” glowing through their superiority. -Lastly, this quote also concerns the question of acceptance of one’s superiors. IM questions the whiteness of the optic white paint that he has created and even proceeds to question the faults after it has been determined adequate by the superior white worker. The experience that IM created displays the recurrence of black vs. white imagery. This is seen through the black vs. white imagery on his optic white canvas, the color of his skin vs. that of Kimbro’s skin, and then the light vs. darkness he perceived when he closed and reopened his eyes. It is ironic that despite IM’s acknowledgment of the paints faults he allows it to be accepted as satisfactory and does not openly question Kimbro. Similar ongoings occurred in society at the time as it the mistreatment and inequality of persons based on color was blatantly obvious yet, was rarely question and rather accepted by the masses through their silence.
 * “It appeared the same: a gray tinge glowed through the whiteness, and Kimbro had failed to detect it. I stared for about a minute, wondering if I were seeing things, inspected another and another. All were the same, a brilliant white diffused with gray. I closed my eyes for a moment and looked again and still no change. Well, I thought. as long as he’s satisfied... “ (205).**

-The above quote features one demanding the opportunity to view and therefore judge for “the eyes of the world”. IM justifies his vision and accusation through the sight of others, not specifically their judgments, but certainly their accord of the accusation. The foods chosen to be lugged out are interesting choices as they are all food indicative of the South. Thus, he can never truly escape his past not even in his subconscious which provides the concept of one’s past is not simply the past but a part of oneself. Furthermore, the black-eyed peas reference is key for two reasons: the appearance of black-eyed peas is a tan almost caucasian colored body with a dark brown, nearly black mid section. Thus, affirms the black vs. white imagery motif which parallels black vs. white interracial mixing of society. Secondly, the dull accusing eyes of the peas may be symbolic of the afflicted nature of african american culture by the blind, elitist white society, the african americans who are blindly adherent to the elitist’s will, the african american leaders who sacrifice others for their own benefit (ex: Dr. Bledsoe) etc.
 * “Lug them out so we can see! I accuse you before the eyes of the world! And he lugs them out, yards of them with mustard greens, and racks of pigs’ ears, and pork chops and black-eyed peas with dull accusing eyes” (265).**

-The above quote was stated during the trial-esc scene where IM is questioned for the performance he gave which transformed Clifton’s funeral into one fit for a hero. This scene portrays those in power vs. the outcast fighting for what is right. The Brotherhood acknowledges the level of complexity involved concerning their movements relation to current events. As The Brotherhood is a movement led by select intellects their perception beyond the superficial is greater than that of the masses, as seen through their “than meets the eye” reference. However, they are too confident in their beliefs which has made them narrow-minded and somewhat blind to the impact and ongoings within Harlem. The Brotherhood conducts itself based on the assumption that they are constantly in power, that they always have the people ready and willing to move. Such an assumption blinded The Brotherhood as they “lost sight” of the importance of the movement and the benefits it could have by successfully advancing african americans. Instead of a movement for the people by the people it placed emphasis on leadership of the elite. Thus, their lack of sight is consistent with their lack of a valid insight, those beyond their circle of power a.k.a. beyond the "underworld" (Chthonian). One which lead the people where The Brotherhood intended rather than what would advance life, it became what would advance their own power. The decadence of powerful figures often mirrors that of The Brotherhood as is seen by Dr. Bledsoe’s character when he would rather sacrifice others than lose standing. The corrupt nature of power is even demonstrated by IM as once he becomes a lead speaker for The Brotherhood he leaves Mary without explanation despite the mother-figure that he was to her. His lack of concern or attachment, at that point in the novel, for the women that more or less saved his life exemplifies the negative influence of power. -It is interesting that The Brotherhood is concerned with the level of political consciousness that the people of Harlem possess. Such consciousness in their eyes is not merely an awareness but rather a didactic element of The Brotherhood itself, as its speeches move the people toward their politically conscious direction. The long, short, and over-all view that is referred to in the quote can refer to a myriad of entities however, I have perceived it as the possibilities of corruption that they have “mastered” and do not believe that IM can grasp despite his experiences. Thus, The Brotherhood which has lost sight of its connection and influence with the masses has accused IM of being blind to the impact of his speeches because of the raw nature of his skill and being.
 * “More is involved than meets the eye. With the long view and the short view and the over-all view mastered, perhaps you won’t slander the political consciousness of the people of Harlem” (470).**

-It is interesting that Ellison has crafted this novel in a way that majority of the people that IM comes in contact with are of impaired vision. Some of the characters whose vision is literally impaired/altered are: Sybil- bleary eyed from intoxication, Brother Jack- one glass eye from the war, Rinehart- the tinted green glasses, Mr. Norton- eyes closed as he passes out from a medical condition and many other characters. All of the previously listed characters possess a negative connotation because of their loss of sight or impaired vision. Why is it that a negative connotation is associated with a loss of any sense? Is it simply because it makes them range from the accepted norm? Or is it one’s fear of such a situation that forces that individual to become outcasted because of society’s blindness to their situation. Or possibly could it be that individual’s difference makes he/she invisible as a conscious decision. This idea of whether society is really blind vs. that of the invisibility of the individual brings about my concerns with IM. Is society really the cause of his invisibility and their unwillingness to see him which has been transformed into a general blindness? Or was it IM’s acknowledgment of the wrongs that he could not accept but yet could not change thus, forcing himself into the invisible. Moreover, such an accusation is more of a perception of IM’s true character preferably, a conclusion that the reader will come to after considerable thought and analysis. -Sybil states that her husband is “blind” even similar to that of a “mole in a hole”. This is ironic as the person making the statement’s vision is impaired and she herself is not aware of the complete complexity of The Brotherhood and its presence in society vs. the minuteness of it. Georgie may be symbolic of the people who were members of organizations like The Brotherhood at the time. People who were striving for answers, for an outlet to justify their lives and their culture through yet, it can never truly be understood, it is just too great for any individual to genuinely see. This is what at different points in the novel leads IM to seek the invisible because it is all to great and frustrating to comprehend. It is also ironic that Sybil should refer to Georgie as within a hole because of IM’s residence in a dark hole-like atmosphere, a basement, and beneath a manhole.
 * “Looking at me out of one bleary eye. Georgie’s blind ‘sa mole in a hole ‘n doesn’t know a thing about it” (524).**

Other Concepts One Might be Interested in Pondering Concerning Sight/ Eyes within the __Invisible Man__:[[image:eye.jpg width="202" height="283" align="right"]]
a) Is IM invisible to himself? b) He is invisible because he himself is “blind”. c) Society is blind vs. he is invisible. d) Can invisibility be defined by the loss of one’s senses? e) Ability to compose one’s appearance but reality in the eyes. f) The negative connotation to loss of senses i.e. blindness. g) Does he gain power through anonymity?

Significance of Smell and Taste Within Invisible Man
//"When nothing else subsists from the past, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered· the smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls· bearing resiliently, on tiny and almost impalpable drops of their essence, the immense edifice of memory"// --Marcel Proust

Throughout the novel, there are scattered indications of the senses and their effects on the Invisible Man. Smell and taste, have an affect on Invisible Man's memory and emotions. Although it is not a significant number of scenes throughout the novel, the few that are prevelant bring about emotions and memories that are incredibly significant. Despite our likeness to disregard smell, as mammals, it is one of our strongest senses and the one that allows us to identify mostly with our memories and our "nurturing" as opposed to being something we are "naturally" born with the ability to distinguish for [5].

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**"Then far down the corner I saw an old man warming his hands against the sides of an odd-looking wagon, from which a stove pipe reeled off a thin spiral of smoke that drifted the odor of baking yams slowly to me, bringing a stale swift of nostalgia. I stopped as though struck by a shot, deeply inhaling, remembering, my mind struggling back, back" (262). [1]** ===== This encounter with a street vendor on the streets of Harlem allows Invisible Man to return to childhood memories of sweet yams and fulfilling meals. As he merely senses the scent of them, he is aware that they are sweet. Invisible man remembers eating yams in a variety of different ways and the joy he received from enjoying them on summer days or taking them for lunch. The memory of childhood brings him into a state of exhilaration in which he feels a sudden freedom from the world and society’s views. This string of thoughts and change of feelings are due to a mere smell and taste of something sweet, something of his past. The yams represent Southern Heritage and the memory sparked by their sweet taste and strong smell brings Invisible Man back to his origins, to what he knows best.

"I yam what I am" (266). [1]"
This statement, although not an explicit mention of smell or taste relays Invisible Man’s sense of heritage after eating the yam that allowed him to recollect so many memories and woke him up to his true essence and being.

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 * "The odor of Mary's cabbage change my mind. Standing engulfed in the fumes filling the hall, it struck me that I couldn't realistically resist the job. Cabbage was always a depressing reminder of the leaner years of my childhood and I suffered silently whenever she served it, but this was the third time within the week and it dawned on me that Mary must be short of money" (296). [1] The mere odor of cabbages reminds IM of his childhood. When he thinks of cabbage, he associates it with poverty. Again, food enlightens Invisible Man. As he walks into the apartment after an exasperating self-conflict over accepting the job with the brother hood the fume of the cabbage awakens his emotions. Although he is considering denying the job, the smell of the cabbages reminds him that he is not monetarily repaying Mary for anything she has done for him and that denying the job would be utterly selfish. Later, as he lies in bed he calls brother Jack to discuss the job and finally decides to take on some responsibility.  **=====


 * Again, the smell of cabbage awakens IM to his childhood and reminds him of poverty and sadness. This encounter is on his way back from **** Clifton **** ’s burial. His sadness and grief are evident when this stench is the one portrayed by the author. Earlier on it had been a reminder of his impoverished childhood and Mary’s need for money and now it was a reminder of grief. The vendor even seemed to be crying over his past, to be remembering hard times in the summer heat. The portrayal of these memories as “hoarse” gives off a negative connotation that the reader cannot dismiss. The mere scent of these cabbages has lead IM to another portrayal of disarray, another situation in which he is unsure of what to do, and another expression of grief. [[image:http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2007/07/16/cabbage460.jpg align="left"]] **


 * "There's a stench in the air, which, from this distance underground, might be the smell either of death or of spring....there //is// a death in the smell of spring and in the the smell of thee is a smell of me. And if nothing more, invisiblity has taught my nose to classify the stenches of death" (580). [1]**

This quotation from the epilogue of Invsible Man does not relate to smell as it has throughout the book but it does give smell a whole new "meaning" if you will. He no longer smells food but rather existence. The very existence of spring or the presence of death; two things that seem to have no "smell" unless they have either bloomed or rotted have become smells that Invisible Man can identify, if not distinguish. Through invisiblity, through not being seen by others he has been able to sharpen his sense of smell. Specifically, that of death. This reference to smell is also a sad and dismal reference and reminds Invisible Man that death does occur, and that in every happiness there is a sadness, that before every rainbow there's a rainstorm and therefore, with the cheer of spring also comes death.

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[3] Damon, Hart-Davie. "DHD Multimedia Gallery." 1996-2008 02Mar2008 <[|http://gallery.hd.org/_exhibits/music/sheet-music-1-DHD.jpg>.] [4] craftzine.com. craftzine. 25 Feb 2008 [|www.craftzine.com].=====

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Chelle and Youst!! Take a peek at this!! -- The video is having trouble showing up when I initially get onto the site...let's look into it? http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/assignments/invisible_man/motif.pdf -wow coolest thing ever :-) - Chelle haha i LOVEd it!!=====