Invisible Man Lesson Plan

What do you think happened to Tod Clifton? Why did he leave the Brotherhood and end up selling Sambo dolls?

Students should consider what is happening in Harlem, where Clifton played a substantial role. As the Brotherhood started to dismiss the local issues in Harlem—which is to say, the local issues that particularly impacted Black people—Clifton might have felt too tied to his community to continue the work, and have suffered when Harlem suffered. Students should also note Wrestrum's offhand comment that in a fight against Ras the Exhorter, Clifton accidentally beat a white brother. The Brotherhood might have created consequences for these actions, given how they punished...