Chapter 6:
*Describe Dr.Bledsoe's posture as the narrator goes to his meeting.*Why is Bledsoe so angry with the narrator?*How are Bledsoe's ideas about black/white relations similar to those of the narrator's grandfather?*How is repetition used to show the narrator's shock when Dr. Bledsoe calls him a "nigger"?*How is Bledsoe's handshake an example of foreshadowing?*What do you think of Bledsoe's decision? Was it fair? If yes, explain. If not, what were the alternatives?*What advice would you give the narrator at this point?*What do you think of the narrator's decisions and actions so far?*How would you characterize Bledsoe? Will he be a help or a hinderance to the narrator as the novel progresses?
Chapter 7:
*What device appears in the vet's advice to the narrator, after he tells him to "come out of the fog?"*What does it mean when the vet tells the narrator to be his own father?*What allusion is used to describe the narrator's arrival in Harlem?
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Edith Wharton
John Steinbeck
Mark Twain
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Ralph Ellison
Alice Walker
11 comments:
In this chapter Bledsoe continues to be angry with the narrator for taking Norton to the old slave quarters and then to the Golden Day. In the meeting that the narrator has with Dr. Bledsoe, Bledsoe expresses his idea of relations between blacks and whites. Altough Bledsoe is a black man, he works with and has the powers of a white man. He seems to have no sympathy for the narrator and continues to insult him and those of his own race. Bledsoe says that the only way for a black man to please a white man is to tell him a lie. He continues by calling the narrator a "nigger" in which the narrator responds with the repitition of the word "that" to show how completely shocked he is that he has been called "that" word. Bledsoe once again insults the narrator by saying "You're nobody, son. You don't exist-can't you see that? The white folk tell everybody what to think-except men like me." Also, Bledsoe states that he would rather have every negroe in the country lynched than lose his power. This proves the cruel and harsh beliefs that Dr. Bledsoe has on black/white relationships and the type of character he is. It makes you think, how could this man be any help to the narrator if he could care less about anything but having the powers of a white man?
Dr. Bledsoe is very angry with the narrator. All he sees is the fact that Mr. Norton's visit did not go as Dr. Bledsoe wanted it to go. Dr. Bledsoe immediatly looks for someone to blame. Since the narrator was driving, Dr. Bledsoe automatically blames him, he doesn't stop to listen to his side of the story or listen when Mr. Norton says it was not the narrators fault, he just does what he wants to. I don't think that Dr. Bledsoe decision to expell the narrator was fair at all, but in reality there was not much else he could do. Dr. Bledsoe couldn't just let the narrator go without any sort of punishment. I think that the expulsion was too far but anything else wouldn't have made up for what the narrator supposedly did. Dr. Bledsoe needed to look as though he did something, so he did the only real option in order for him to remain in a position of power. It was not the right thing to do because he should have been trying to help his student not try to get rid of him. I think that Dr. Bledsoe is definatly not a help to the narrator. Dr. Bledsoe gave the narrator someone to look up to. He thought he was looking at someone who worked his way up to power and looks at Dr. Bledsoe as his hero. Then, he comes to find out that Dr. Bledsoe got into his position by just doing whatever he thought the people higher than him wanted him to do. He ran his life on what everyone else wanted from him.
Dr. Bledsoe is so power oriented that he gave the narrator unfair punishment and treatment. Dr. Bledsoe became very angry with the narrator because he started to interfere with Bledsoe’s power. Bledsoe is not the kind of man who would the let narrator mess up his authority at the college. When the narrator made mistakes with a committee member Dr. Bledsoe felt threatened of what might happen. All he cared about was to get the narrator out as soon as possible to maintain his own status.
This makes his decision of expelling the narrator unfair because Dr. Bledsoe was not thinking of the best interest for the student. But I don’t think anything would change Dr. Bledsoe’s mind because that is just his own personality. Don’t mess with Dr. Bledsoe!
Before the vet gets off the bus he decides to give the narrator some fatherly advice. “Be your own father young man.” Then he eventually gets off the bus and leaves. The narrator thinks nothing of it but it might be some good advice. I think it means that you are always listening and admiring your father. You ask him what to do, when to do it, and he tells you. If you were your own father that means you make your own decisions in life, don’t let anyone else tell you what to do. You also think of your father as powerful. If you thought of yourself as powerful it would give you more courage and confidence. The narrator needs that especially moving into Harlem. He has no time to doubt himself.
Dr. Bledsoe's ideas on black/white relations is similar to the narrator's grandfather. Both of their ideas are based on the fact black people should be nice to white people, even if white people don't treat black people nicely.
Mr. Bledsoe treats the narrotar too harshly when the marrator messes up. It was not neccesary to kick the narrotar out of school. He could of just let the narrator off with a warning and not let him chauffer people around anymore. The white trustee did not blame the narrator.
I would say Bledsoe is characterized as overpowering and not understanding at all. He is angry with the narrator and wont hear or understand his side of the story. So he expells the narrator and later you find out that instead of letting him come back for the fall the letter says forever. Luckily Mr. Emerson was kind enough to let the narrator see the letter.
When the vet tells the narrator to be his own father I think he means to follow his own dreams. Dont let whites tell you what you will become. You tell them what you will become. Dont let people get you down.
Dr. Bledsoe's limp hand shake is an indication that he is not serious about helping the narrator. It is obvious that Dr. Bedsoe wants him to fail because he insulted him and his race even though he is to a black man. In his tone it appears that he is doing a number on the narrator. He does not care about race relations at all because he has the power of a white man and thus has no reason to bring about change. It is for certain that he is not out to help the narrator.
Bledsoe is angry with the narrator because he took one of the white founders for a drive. On that drive they met the black man who no one likes speaking of because he got his daughter pregnant. The founder fell ill and the narrator had to go to the nearest place for a cup of whiskey. They run into a crazy old doctor at the Golden Day. The guy says a few things about white people that upsets the founder greatly. He calls the narrator irresponsible and he has to leave the college for it. Bledsoe said even though he asked him to take him on a drive he should not have. I do not think his decision was fair at all. He was just doing what was asked of him. He was not trying to get anyone hurt or upset. The punishment could have been a small suspension or maybe even a warning.
Bledsoe basically believes that a black man should show a white man only the things he wants him to see. He is very upset with the narrator for being open with Norton about all the things around the campus that weren’t good. Bledsoe feels that he can be obedient, or seem obedient, while still being in full control and power. This power is essentially the most important thing to Dr. Bledsoe- even overpowering any loyalty he has to his own race. He even says that he would rather see every black man lynched than lose his power and prominence that he has gained.
Bledsoe will probably end up helping the narrator in the long run, but at the moment he isn't because he kicked the narrator out of college. Since graduating from college would open up way more opportuinities for the narrator, this is an inconvience for him at this point in his life. However, Bledsoe has led him to New York City where ANYTHING can happen, so the narrator could have something good come out of this after all.
Dr. B is not totally for helping the narrator. Dr. B might even want him to fail in his efforts. I found it kind of strange that Dr. B made a stab at the narrators race even though he too is black, but I guess... if you have the money and power, it doesn't matter what you do.
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