A Wardrobe of Disguises and Invisibility

The most recent chapters of Invisible Man have been packed with symbolism. One of the most upfront details I noticed was the section in chapter 23 when the narrator takes on the persona of Rinehart, a man seemingly of many identities. There are many different ways the narrator displays himself throughout the book, anything from a submissive driver to a public figure. This section in chapter 23 exemplifies how easy it is for the narrator to disguise himself, and shows how truly invisible the narrator is. By disguising simple characteristics like his eyes and hair, the narrator is able to convince others that he is one of the many Rineharts. Each different Rinehart we read about seems to be stereotypically represented, according to their respective roles. The disturbing thing is that the narrator adapts to this Rinehart identity incredibly quickly, moving from one role to the next.

When the narrator encounters Brother Maceo, their conversation escalates into an argument, and eventually a fight. It seems that the narrator gets so caught up in his character, that he forgets that he is supposed to be on Brother Maceo's side. This specific situation is not only a testament to the malleability of the narrators' character but the malleability of the people he encounters. 

After the narrator encounters the girl claiming to be Rinehart's lover, the narrator picks up a pamphlet. Of course, this pamphlet belongs to Rinehart the Reverend, using catchphrases like "Behold the Invisible" (495) and "Behold the seen unseen" (495). These statements seem to imply that the God spoken of by the Reverend is invisible. While I may be thinking too much into the theme of invisibility, I think this poster represents society as a whole. Throughout history, religion has been the foundation for human development. The idea that Reverend Rinehart is preaching about "unknown wonders" (495) implies that the very thing he is teaching to others is something he himself cannot explain. In other words, the Reverand is playing a religious leader without a religion of sorts, exposing yet another stereotype.

 The idea that one person can take on multiple identities ties closely with the theme of invisibility. Not only are the people around him assuming the narrator is Rinehart, they are doing it without question. The shocking thing about this extended scene is that the narrator plays his role without much hesitation as well. It seems that the narrator is choosing to be invisible to his surroundings, although we never really understand why he acts this way. It seems like his actions are strung by his subconscious, much like a puppet is controlled by a puppeteer. I am interested to see how this idea of malleability plays out through the rest of the book, as it was only now that I realized the extent that the narrator plays his numerous characters.