The narrator is finally summoned to a meeting with the Brotherhood's committee. The atmosphere in the dimly lit room is heavy with smoke as the members sit around a small table. Brother Jack opens the meeting by asking the narrator how the funeral went. The narrator is surprised that Jack hadn’t attended. He responds by emphasising the massive turnout at the funeral, but this only prompts Brother Tobitt to openly criticise his actions. The narrator explains that he tried to contact the committee but, when they did not respond, he moved forward on his “personal responsibility”
The phrase “personal responsibility” becomes the focal point of the committee's anger. Jack and the others deride the narrator for acting independently, with Jack mockingly calling him “the great tactician.” When the narrator asks Jack what he means by his sarcasm, Jack makes it clear that the purpose of the meeting is to discipline him. Tobitt joins in to ridicule the narrator. Despite the hostility, the narrator defends his decision to organise the funeral explaining how important it was for the community. However, the committee continues to emphasise the damage to the Brotherhood's reputation caused by Clifton’s association with the Sambo dolls.
Jack states that Clifton’s death and the Sambo dolls overshadow any positive impact the funeral might have had. The narrator argues that the unarmed killing of a black man is far more politically significant than the triviality of what Clifton was selling. He accuses the committee of prioritising their image over the genuine grievances of the Harlem community.
Tobitt escalates the argument by accusing the narrator of presuming to represent all black people. The narrator retorts by questioning Tobitt’s credentials to speak on the matter. Tobitt proudly tells the narrator that the wife is black. The narrator sarcastically congratulates Tobitt on his “expertise” on what it is like to be black. Jack eventually intervenes by reminding the narrator that he was not “hired to think.” Jack insists that strategy is the domain of the committee and that the narrator is just a mere subordinate. His job is to listen to the committee’s decision and obey even when he feels the committe is wrong.
Brother Jack tells the narrator that the committee has decided against demonstrations such as the funeral, telling the narrator that they are no longer effective. The narrator replies that the demonstration is the only effective thing in Harlem lately; the people there believe that the Brotherhood has abandoned the neighbourhood. This, the narrator explains, is the reason for Clifton’s disappearance. After hearing the narrator’s report, Brother Jack finally says that the committee’s job is not to ask people what they think, but rather to tell them what to think. The narrator accuses Jack of acting like the “great white father.” Jack tells the narrator that he is the people’s leader, but the narrator replies that maybe he should consider himself “Marse Jack.”
Brother Jack is infuriated. He leaps to his feet and grips the table and as he does this, his glass eye falls out of its socket. The sight leaves the narrator stunned. At first, the narrator believes he is hallucinating and is disguste by the sight of the empty eye socket. He quickly realises that all the other members of the committee already know about the eye and that Jack is using the eye to diorient the narrator and gain an advantage.
Jack asks if the narrator is repulsed by the eye. He explains that he lost it “in the line of duty”. He tells the narrator that the narrator does not understand the meaning of sacrifice and all the discipline that comes with it. The narrator realises that Brother Jack is partly blined and is incapable of seeing him. To the narrator, the glass eye symbolises Jack’s tunnel vision and inability to truly see the perspectives of others.
Jack believes that the loss of his eye is a demonstration of his will to sacrifice himself. In fact, Jack has sacrificed his own sense of humanity and decency in order to impose his will on the world. The recognition of the limits of Jack’s vision makes the narrator feel like he was invisible to Jack and the Brotherhood all along.
As Jack nonchalantly replaces the eye, he asks for the time and remarks that it is time to end the meeting. As he leaves, he tells the narrator to remember his discipline and watch his temper. Jack instructs the narrator to return to Brother Hambro for further training. Watching the committee leave, the narrator is overcome by a sense of futility. He recognises that the Brotherhood views him as a tool rather than a true partner in their mission. Disillusioned, the narrator resolves to continue fighting for justice, but he knows he can no longer place his faith in the Brotherhood.
Disillusionment with the Brotherhood: The narrator’s growing awareness of the organisation’s lack of genuine concern for the community drives his sense of betrayal. The meeting reveals the Brotherhood’s rigid hierarchy and its prioritisation of control over action.
The Glass Eye as Symbolism: Jack’s glass eye serves as a powerful symbol of his limited perspective. It represents the Brotherhood’s inability to see beyond their agenda and their disregard for the individuality of others. The eye also underscores Jack’s egotism and the committee’s detachment from the realities of Harlem.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
What reason does the narrator give for organising the funeral?
a) To elevate the Brotherhood's reputation
b) To honour Clifton’s work for the Brotherhood
c) To allow the Harlem community to express their grievances
d) To disprove accusations against Clifton
What does Brother Tobitt use to justify his perspective on the black community?
a) His professional experience
b) His marriage to a black woman
c) His knowledge of the Brotherhood’s values
d) His personal interactions with Harlem residents
What reaction does the narrator have to Brother Jack’s glass eye falling out?
a) He sees it as a trick to intimidate him
b) He feels pity for Jack’s injury
c) He views it as a symbol of Jack’s limited vision
d) He dismisses it as unimportant
ANSWERS: 1. C 2. B 3. C
Theory Questions
Explain the symbolic significance of Brother Jack’s glass eye and how it reflects the Brotherhood’s approach to leadership.
Describe the impact of the meeting on the narrator’s relationship with the Brotherhood.
How does the narrator’s experience in the meeting contribute to the broader theme of invisibility in the text?
