The narrator descends to the bar below the Brotherhood’s meeting hall and orders a drink. The patrons, engrossed in a fiery debate about Tod Clifton, question the narrator’s opinion. He declines to answer, stating that Clifton was a close friend. They leave him alone. Walking through Harlem, the narrator observes a community energised over Clifton’s death. This gives him some hope so he resolves to meet Brother Hambro later that evening.
While walking, the narrator encounters Ras the Exhorter delivering a speech on the street. Ras accuses the Brotherhood of being responsible for Clifton’s death and demands to know how the narrator plans to respond. Unable to provide an answer, the narrator warns Ras against exploiting Clifton’s death for personal gain. Some in the crowd defend the narrator, but as he leaves, Ras’s men trail him. Near a cinema, they attack him, but a vigilant theatre doorman intervenes and saves the narrator. The narrator thanks the doorman and moves on wary of Ras’s men.
As the narrator attempts to hail a cab, he notices three men in suits, wearing dark glasses and is struck with inspiration. He purchases the darkest pair of glasses he can find at a drug store and walks out into the street again hoping that the disguise would allow him to walk through Harlem unnoticed. While testing the disguise, a woman mistakes him for someone named Rinehart, who also wears dark glasses. Intrigued, the narrator plays along, but the woman grows irritated when she realises the deception, remarking that Rinehart always wears a hat. The narrator rushes to buy one.
Disguised in glasses and a hat, the narrator is repeatedly mistaken for Rinehart. He resolves to learn more about the Rinehart if people are going to be mistaken so often. He stumbles upon Ras’s gathering once more but remains unrecognised as a Brotherhood member. Ras, now calling himself Ras the Destroyer, declares, “The time has come!” The narrator wonders about the meaning of this proclamation. To further test his new identity, he returns to Barrelhouse’s Jolly Dollar bar. Neither Barrelhouse nor Brother Maceo recognises him. When the narrator attempts to engage Maceo but since Maceo does not recognise him, he thinks the narrator is looking for trouble. Barrelhouse intervenes before tension escalates between both men.
Back on the street, the narrator’s guise continues to fool Harlem’s residents. He discovers that Rinehart is a multifaceted figure—a numbers runner, a smooth-talking figure with a Cadillac, and even a minister. Each encounter deepens the narrator’s understanding of Rinehart’s influence and shows him how appearances shape power and identity. The narrator realises that Rinehart’s adaptability grants him immense freedom, a stark contrast to his own struggles for sincerity and purpose.
The narrator takes a cab to Brother Hambro’s residence. The narrator asks Hambro what’s to be done about his district, but Hambro tells him that nothing can be done without upsetting the Brotherhood’s larger plans. Hambro tells the narrator that the members of his community will have to be “sacrificed” for the Brotherhood’s larger plans. Hambro tells the narrator that his district’s progress needs to be slowed down for its own good, and that disciplined members will understand. The narrator tells Brother Hambro that those who are being sacrificed should at least be aware of their sacrifice. Hambro simply replies again that it is all necessary for the Brotherhood’s master plan. Hambro goes on to explain that “it’s impossible not to take advantage of the people,” an attitude that the narrator derides as “Rinehartism,” meaning “cynicism.” Hambro finally says that the narrator must believe in the ultimate wisdom of the Brotherhood. Unable to accept this conclusion, the narrator leaves Hambro feeling worse than when he arrived.
The narrator walks through the pack to gather his thoughts. He realises that the Brotherhood sees the black people of Harlem as simply numbers in a ballot box to be counted. The narrator also realises that he has simply replaced Mr Norton with Brother Jack and has not changed in any way. Memories of the past come flooding back. He remembers his grandfather’s words to “overcome ‘em with yeses.” and resolves to do this from that moment forward. He will continue to do what the Brotherhood asks of him and mislead them into thinking that everything is fine in Harlem even though this is not the case. He will gradually transform himself into an agent of the Brotherhood’s destruction and infiltrate their hierarchy.
He decides that the easiest way to get to the source of information is through a woman. He plans on seducing Emma at the upcoming party for Brother Jack taking place at the Chthonian.
Rinehart serves as a complex symbol that embodies adaptability and manipulation in stark contrast to the narrator’s sincerity. Rinehart’s ability to navigate Harlem’s social structures—pimp, preacher, numbers runner—underscores the fluidity of identity and the superficiality of societal perceptions. His charisma highlights the power of illusion and challenges the narrator’s belief in order and purpose.
Rinehart’s chaotic influence contrasts with the Brotherhood’s rigid ideology, exposing the limits of their calculated control. Through Rinehart, the narrator confronts the unsettling reality that identity and power are often dictated by perception rather than substance. This revelation propels the narrator toward a strategy of deception. He blends the lessons of Rinehart’s fluidity with his growing disillusionment with the Brotherhood.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
What reaction does Ras the Exhorter have toward Clifton’s death?
a) He praises Clifton’s contribution to the Brotherhood
b) He ignores the event entirely
c) He accuses the Brotherhood of causing Clifton’s death
d) He organises a peaceful protest in Clifton’s memory
What does the narrator learn about Rinehart during his encounters?
a) Rinehart is a political activist fighting for Harlem’s rights
b) Rinehart is a multifaceted figure who embodies adaptability
c) Rinehart is a loyal member of the Brotherhood
d) Rinehart is Ras’s closest ally
What does Brother Hambro tell the narrator about the Brotherhood’s plans for Harlem?
a) The district’s progress must be sacrificed for larger plans
b) Harlem will be the focus of their next major campaign
c) The Brotherhood plans to empower Harlem’s leaders
d) Harlem’s issues are outside the Brotherhood’s influence
What strategy does the narrator adopt after his meeting with Brother Hambro?
a) To openly rebel against the Brotherhood
b) To secretly infiltrate and dismantle the Brotherhood
c) To leave the Brotherhood and join Ras the Exhorter
d) To align with Rinehart’s philosophy
Answer: b) To secretly infiltrate and dismantle the Brotherhood
What lesson does the narrator learn from Rinehart’s influence?
a) Rigid ideologies provide security in chaos
b) Manipulation leads to isolation
c) Sincerity and order are always rewarded
d) Power and identity are dictated by perception, not substance
ANSWERS: 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. D
Describe the significance of Rinehart as a symbol in the narrator’s journey.
Analyse the relationship between the Brotherhood and the Harlem community.
Using the symbol of Rinehart, discuss the role of deception and appearance in shaping power and identity.
