SILENCE = TACIT APPROVAL, and alleged agreement may well lead to violent ends. That lesson plays out in Ellison's Invisible Man--the white-led Brotherhood allows Harlem's black community to stagnate and suffer in silence, and thus violent protest emerges. We've studied recent events in Baltimore (the interaction between H. Rivera and the "invisible" (or at least nameless) protester, as well as white American media's surprise at the more recent protests against police brutality in the black community.

Monday

Lecture on silence = tacit approval. By silently dismissing the problem of racial inequality, we nurture violent upheaval in our society. I will lecture on chapter twenty three, and answer questions on chapters 22-23. Ending class with a written prediction as to the IM's ability to manipulate his reality and successfully help the black community in Harlem.
HW: Read chapter 24 and 25 for class on Wednesday.

Tuesday

No class for shortened day.
HW: Besides the aforementioned chapters, listen the the following, edited Cracked podcast.

Wednesday

Discussion of chapter 24, the IM's attempt to use Sybil to infiltrate the Brotherhood.
HW: Read the Epilogue.

Thursday

Discussion of chapter 25, the riot that ensues as a result of the Brotherhood abandoning Harlem.
HW: Re-read the Prologue.

Friday

According to Ellison, is racial equality in America even possible?
HW: Read chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby.