Chapters 23,24,&25

Chapter 23:

Power was a very important motif in chapter 23, also a major turning point for IM. Immediately we become aware of the powerful influence that Rinehart has on the community- each of his identities. By IM taking on the identification of Rinehart he is embodying Rinehart’s power in himself. On page 501, IM attempts to discuss how he should help his district with Hambro, though the conversation doesn’t seem to go anywhere. In their conversation, Hambro explains that his “members will have to be sacrificed” and that “there’s nothing to be done about it that wouldn’t upset the larger plan”. He says this in an attempt to justify the Brotherhood’s new methods, but his words end up revealing just how little concern the Brotherhood actually has for its community. This triggers a new insight for IM reflecting his Grandfather’s advice: to yes the whites to death. This lets IM have power over the whites, especially in the Brotherhood, with the power of manipulation. His new motto is basically ‘keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer’, which we predict will work in his favor.

Chapter 24:

Oratory: There were no instances of oratory in this chapter.

Power: There were no instances of power in this chapter.

Chapter 25:

Oratory: The oratory in chapter 25 occurs mainly when Ras confronts the IM atop his horse in the streets. “Betrayer!” Ras proclaims on page 557, moving on to advocate that the IM be lynched for his association with the Brotherhood and their aims. In his defense, the IM states “They want this to happen...they planned it” (558). Here he is speaking to the black community as a whole, as he attempts to explain the setup they’re facing. They have been manipulated to turn against themselves, clearly illustrated by Ras’s plea for the IM’s death, which will keep the entire black community powerless and essentially trapped.

Power: “... then when you git ‘em out start splashing coal oil. Then when you git it splashed I’m going to holler, and when I holler three times I want you to light the matches and git” (546).

In this chapter, Dupre and Scofield are the characters holding a lot of power. They have set in place an entire plan to burn a building where lots of people are living. They instill fear in all of the residents and scoff at their requests to hold back from burning their house down. They have the ability to determine what these people’s lives will look like from here on out and this is one of the greatest powers you can have over someone, as being unable to determine how your own life will play out is an incredibly frightening thing.