Upon returning to Harlem, the narrator is struck by how unfamiliar the place feels. The pulse of Harlem seems to have shifted in his absence. He heads to a bar, Barrelhouse’s Jolly Dollar, hoping to meet with Brother Maceo, a regular contact. However, Maceo is not there, and the narrator decides to have a beer while waiting. As he sits at the bar, he encounters two men he recognizes. When he calls them "brother," they react with offense saying that he's no brother of theirs. Tthe narrator moves further down the bar, sensing that the mood toward the Brotherhood has soured.
Barrelhouse, the bar's owner, is relieved to see him. When one of the antagonistic men questions why the narrator calls people "brother," Barrelhouse steps in, saying that the narrator is his brother and that the men can leave if they don't like it. Barrelhouse then shares his concerns with the narrator, revealing that many former Brotherhood members, including Brother Maceo, have lost their jobs.
The narrator is taken aback by how quickly things have changed. After a while, he finishes his drink and steps out of the bar. Outside, he notices that there is no sign of Brotherhood activity anywhere in the streets of Harlem. He proceeds to the district offices, hoping to find Brother Tarp. However, Tarp is nowhere to be found, and his belongings, including a Frederick Douglass poster, have disappeared. Realizing he is alone, the narrator orders a search for Tod Clifton, whose disappearance remains unexplained.
While reviewing the district’s records, the narrator learns that membership in Harlem has dwindled as the Brotherhood has shifted focus to broader national and international issues, neglecting local politics. Determined to get answers, he plans to ask the committee for an explanation. He waits for the usual strategy meeting call, but it never comes. Suspecting something is wrong, he tries to contact the Brotherhood’s headquarters, but he can't get through to any of the leaders. The narrator decides to go downtown to the headquarters in person. When he arrives, he finds the meeting in progress, with strict orders that it remain undisturbed.
Angered by the fact that he is left out of the loop, the narrator decides he will wait for the Brotherhood to reach out when they are ready. He goes to buy a new pair of shoes instead of dwelling on the situation. He then takes a detour from the crowded 42nd Street to 43rd Street, where he spots a group of people gathered around a strange, high-pitched voice. The narrator notices a boy, a friend of Clifton's, standing near the crowd, intently watching a policeman approaching. The boy whistles toward the crowd, and the narrator wonders whether it's directed at him or the officer. The narrator steps closer to the crowd to see what is going on.
At the center of the group, the narrator sees a grotesque Sambo doll—a black caricature made of cardboard and tissue paper that dances when manipulated. Its movements are exaggerated and suggestive and the narrator is both disgusted and fascinated by this. As the doll dances, a voice delivers an exaggerated sales pitch, promising joy for just twenty-five cents. The narrator looks around and is shocked to see that the one giving the pitch is none other than Tod Clifton. Clifton and the narrator’s eyes meet, and Clifton offers a contemptuous smile as his pitch continues. Deeply hurt by this turn of events, the narrator spits on the Sambo doll.
Just then, another whistle is heard. A policeman is coming to disperse the crowd. Clifton hastily picks up the doll and tries to lead the group around the corner to continue the performance. The crowd and Clifton quickly vanish, leaving the narrator behind, stunned. He picks up one of the Sambo dolls and contemplates how Clifton could have fallen so far. He recalls Clifton’s earlier words about the need to "fall outside of history" and realizes that, for him, the Brotherhood has become everything. Leaving it would mean abandoning all that he has worked for. He slips the Sambo doll into his pocket.
Turning the corner into Bryant Park, the narrator sees Clifton and a police officer engaged in a confrontation. The officer attempts to fine Clifton for the street performance, but Clifton resists. When the officer pushes him, Clifton punches him in retaliation. The officer, in turn, pulls out his gun and shoots Clifton. The scene unfolds in an instant, leaving Clifton crumpled on the ground.
The narrator tries to approach Clifton, but is waved off by a police officer who tells him to cross the street. The narrator tells the officer that Clifton is his friend. The officer replies that Clifton is dead. Another cop asks the narrator a few questions about Clifton. A white boy who was watching the event tells the narrator that Clifton throws a good punch. The narrator is left stunned by the senselessness of Clifton’s death. He wonders why Clifton would abandon the Brotherhood, the cause that had meant so much to him. The narrator reflects again on Clifton’s words about "falling out of history," recognizing that only certain people get to write history—and Clifton's story will not be one of them.
As the narrator waits at the subway platform, he observes Harlem’s inhabitants for the first time with a new perspective. He watches three young men in zoot suits and wonders if they are the “true saviours” of their race, untainted by the Brotherhood's ideals. For the first time, he begins to question the Brotherhood and its certainty of progress.
Following the men into the subway, the narrator feels weak with grief and begins to see the futility of his previous devotion to the Brotherhood’s ideas. When he exits the subway, he sees a group of boys running from a candy store with stolen goods. This sight reminds him that despite his belief in the Brotherhood’s power to create change, little has truly shifted in Harlem.
The Symbol of the Sambo Doll: The Sambo doll is a powerful symbol of racial caricature, a black performer subjugated for white amusement. The exaggerated, rhythmic movements of the doll evoke a sense of degradation. However, the narrator's disgust is intensified by the realisation that it is Clifton—someone he once admired—who is behind the act, essentially embracing the very caricature he once fought against.
Falling out of History: Clifton’s tragic decision to sell Sambo dolls embodies a profound rejection of the Brotherhood’s ideology. His actions suggest that, for him, the Brotherhood's promises of progress are empty, and the battle for change is futile. The narrator, watching Clifton's fall, comes to understand that the Brotherhood, much like the forces it opposes, manipulates people in the name of power and control. Clifton’s death, meaningless and unremembered, stands as a painful reminder that history is often written by those in power, leaving the lives of men like Clifton unnoticed and forgotten.
The narrator's growing awareness of Harlem’s lived reality, outside of the Brotherhood’s narrative, marks the beginning of his doubt. He begins to see the lives of ordinary people—unconcerned with the Brotherhood—as crucial, more immediate, and yet overlooked in the quest for grand ideological change. The Brotherhood has failed to address the fundamental needs of the people, and the narrator’s realization reveals the broader truth: little has changed, despite all their efforts.
Multiple-Choice Questions:
1. Who does the narrator meet at Barrelhouse’s Jolly Dollar?
a) Brother Maceo
b) Brother Tarp
c) Barrelhouse
d) Tod Clifton
2. What is the initial reaction of the two men the narrator recognizes when he calls them “brother”?
a) They embrace him warmly.
b) They act indifferent.
c) They become offended.
d) They ignore him.
3. What disturbing discovery does the narrator make when he visits the district office?
a) Maceo is missing.
b) There is a lack of Brotherhood activity in Harlem.
c) Clifton is leading the Brotherhood now.
d) The district office has been abandoned.
4. What does the Sambo doll represent in the narrative?
a) A symbol of racial equality.
b) A subjugated black performer for white amusement.
c) A representation of hope for black unity.
d) An emblem of the Brotherhood’s power.
5. How does the narrator react after Clifton’s death?
a) He returns to the Brotherhood headquarters for answers.
b) He becomes more devoted to the Brotherhood.
c) He plans to take revenge on the police officer.
d) He begins to question the Brotherhood’s promises of progress.
ANSWER: 1. C 2. C 3. B 4. B 5. D
Theory Questions:
Analyze the symbolism of the Sambo doll in the narrator's journey. How does it reflect the larger themes of racial caricature and identity in the narrative?
How does the author use the events surrounding Clifton’s death to illustrate the concept of history being written by those in power?
