Chapters 2-7 Notes
Paige, Gabby, Riley, Maddy, and Aminata
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Chapter 2- “The white folks took up for me. And the white folks took to coming
out here to see us and talk with us. Some of ‘em was big white folks, too, from the
big school way cross the State. Asked me lots ‘bout what I thought ‘bout things,
and ‘bout my folks and the kids, and wrote it all down in a book. But best of all,
suh, I got more work now than I ever did have before” (53)...
Explanation: The white people seem to only take interest in Trueblood because he
messed up and did something that is looked down upon by the black and white societies.
The black people have a certain status and the whites want to maintain the blacks’ low
status by rewarding them for doing wrong. The black people don’t seem to realize the
dirty scheme of the white people and the black society has no shame in their doing
since they are being treated like it’s a tolerable action. The blacks are just giving into the
whites and pleasing them by “messing up” and it’s sad since they don’t know any better.
Later in the chapter, Norton gives Trueblood $100 to buy toys for the new children and
the narrator is appalled. He doesn’t understand why Trueblood, the screw up for lack of
better words, should be given help and a “reward” for committing an unthinkable and
disturbing action. The white people may just be trying to help, but since Trueblood needs
the money, he doesn’t think his act was bad since he received money as a result.
● Chapter 3- “Mr. Norton was visibly angry now, a raw place showing on his
forehead, and I hurried ahead of him to the car. He climbed in unaided, and I got
under the wheel, smelling the heated odor of mints and cigar smoke. He was
silent as I drove away” (97).
Explanation: When the chapter begins, the narrator is driving Mr. Norton away from
Trueblood’s home. To settle Mr. Norton’s nerves, he takes him to a bar called “the
Golden Day” where they encounter old, and somewhat insane, veterans. Ashamed of the
setting, ,klpi80the narrator’s original intent was to run in, grab some liquor for Norton
and run out. Mr. Norton insisted on coming in, and the narrator couldn’t refuse. This
symbolized the fear instilled in the narrator on “whites being overpowering”. He didn’t
know how to say no, even respectfully, when put into that position. Chaos ensues and
Mr. Norton is being thrown, slapped, hit, and eventually ends up passing out causing the
narrator to become fearful of the upcoming consequences. They are kicked out of the
bar once Norton regains consciousness (and asks to leave himself out of anger) and the
narrator drives Mr. Norton to the college in silence.
● Chapter 4- Quote: “Damn Trueblood. It was his fault if we hadn’t sat in the sun so
long Mr.Norton would not have needed whiskey and i wouldn’t have gone to the
Golden day”(98).
Explanation: This Scene was right after the narrator and Mr. Norton came from the
golden day bar. As they were riding back toward the campus the narrator was a bit
frustrated because he had no clue if he was going to get fired or not. But as they arrived
Mr. Norton asked to be seen by Bledsoe. As the Narrator went and got Bledsoe he was a
bit angry at the narrator of his dumb decision; but he assure him that his job would not
be in jeopardy.
Mr.Norton assure the narrator that he explained to Bledsoe that he wasn’t responsible for
anything that had happen. The narrator felt a bit relieve knowing that Norton and Bledsoe
understood that it was totally out of his control on what was happen.
● Chapter 5- “The clouds of darkness all over the land black folks and white folks
full of fear and hate, waiting to go forward but each fearful of the other. A whole
region is caught in a terrible tension”(119).
Explanation: In This chapter A reverend Name Homer A Barbee who is African-American
came to the chapel to deliver a speech about a Man who struggled toward his days of
slavery and how he survive through the hard-labor of the his work. The man teaches
himself how to read and write and then escaped to the north for freedom. The quote
explained how black and white are not willing to go forward with the future without being
afraid of each other thinking the other one will try to suppress them of their future which
was not true. If they both just got along and put their difference in the past maybe they
can start on a good path to the future. As Mr.Barbee was done giving his speech he
stumble upon his chair and his glasses fell off and the narrator and Mr. Norton saw the
glimpse of his eyes which they came upon that Barbee was blind.
● Chapter 6- ‘“I’ll give you letters to some of the school’s friends to see that you get
work,” he said. “But this time, use your judgment, keep your eyes open, get in the
swing of things”’(145)!
Explanation: This scene is right after Dr. Bledsoe gets done yelling at the narrator. His
abrupt change from yelling at the narrator to wanting to help the narrator seems a little
strange because most people don’t switch from being reprimanding to nice that quickly.
This strange occurrence foreshadows that whatever is to come because of those letters
will not be good. The narrator should see that something is up when Dr. Bledsoe does a
180 and is going to “help” the narrator. The narrator’s naive self comes out strong in this
quote because he doesn’t understand that Dr. Bledsoe might not actually be helping him
as he thinks he is. This situation also signifies the confusion that is to come for narrator
letter on in the book. There will be other times when the narrator expects one thing; but
finds it to be another, and there was clues for him to realize it wasn’t going to turn out as
he thought it would.
● Chapter 7- Quote of the Chapter: “He winked. His eyes twinkled. ‘All right,
forget what I’ve said. But for God’s sake, learn to look beneath the surface,’ he
said. ‘Come out of the fog, young man. And remember you don’t have to be a
complete fool in order to succeed. Play the game, but don’t believe in it—that
much you owe yourself. Even if it lands you in a straight jacket or a padded cell.
Play the game, but play it in your own way—part of the time at least” [153].
-Quote explanation: This quote is symbolic because of it’s relevance to events later in
the story. The narrator ends up following this advice very closely in regards to his career
with the Brotherhood following Clifton’s death and his argument with Brother Jack and
the other leaders.
- Chapter seven begins with the narrator at the bus station, about to embark upon his
journey north. During the ride he is forced to sit next to the veteran whose words had
caused so much rouble for him at the Golden Day. The vet stirs up more trouble for the
narrator by offering him some cryptic advice relating to the complex ways of northern
culture. He tells him that he must act the part but make sure he doesn’t become the
character. The chapter finishes with narrator in a fluster after being pressed up against a
large white woman on the subway; he is astonished at some of the daily happenings he
witnesses on his way to Men’s House, such as a black policeman directing whit drivers
in traffic, or his first experience with Ras the Exhorter.
Section Plot Line:
Ch. 2
● Narrator goes to college
● Meets Norton and drives him around campus
● Narrator brings him to Trueblood’s neighborhood and tells him about his story
● Trueblood says white people helped him out
● Norton gives Trueblood 100 dollars to buy toys for the children because he felt
bad
● Norton wants to get away from the neighborhood suddenly. He wants
a “stimulant.”
Ch. 3
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Narrator takes Norton to Golden Day, he’s ashamed by it.
A huge fight breaks out- Norton gets caught in the middle
Norton faints and Halley revives him
More chaos- they get thrown out
Norton and Narrator leave, Norton is really angry for being put into an
uncomfortable position
Ch. 4
● They go back to the college, Norton asks for Bledsoe
● Narrator is scared of getting in trouble with Bledsoe
● Dr. Bledsoe says he will see the Narrator in the morning
Ch. 5
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Narrator goes to chapel
He sees Barbee speak- he is a blind speaker, but very descriptive
Bledsoe expects everyone to attend
Barbee resembles Buddha
The Narrator realizes Barbee is blind
Ch. 6
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Narrator gets called down to Dr. Bledsoe’s office
Narrator gets yelled at for taking Norton to the Golden Day
Bledsoe gives Narrator two days to pack his belongings and leave
First, the Narrator was upset, then he left with no hurt feelings
Bledsoe gave the Narrator seven letters to find a job in New York
Bledsoe yells and the Narrator and is furious, then helps him out... two extreme
sides of Bledsoe
Ch. 7
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The Narrator leaves the college to go to New York
Vet from the Golden Day is on the bus
The Narrator gets off the bus and tries to find Harlem
He gets on a subway and is pushed up against a big woman
He sees Ras the Exhorter