![]() As he recalls his feelings of humiliation and disgust at seeing Brother Clifton selling the Sambo dolls, he may also begin to recall the respect, admiration, and genuine friendship he felt for Brother Clifton prior to seeing him sell the degrading dolls. For the first time, he becomes emotionally involved with the fate of another human being as he wrestles with his conscience, wondering if there was something he could have said or done to prevent this tragedy. These two chapters, which focus on Brother Tod Clifton's death and funeral, mark a major transition in the narrator's character and a pivotal point in the novel, highlighting and illuminating various themes, images, and symbols introduced in previous chapters.Įllison uses the scene with the grotesque, dancing dolls to advance the theme of blacks perceived as dolls, puppets, and tokens introduced in Chapter 1 (the "battle royal" scene), in which the boys are forced to scramble for brass tokens on the electrified rug.īrother Clifton's death has a profound impact on the narrator. He also assumes responsibility for informing the neighborhood youth of Brother Clifton's death. When Clifton strikes back, the policeman shoots and kills Clifton.ĭetermined to pay tribute to his friend, the narrator organizes a lavish funeral and eulogizes. Without a permit to sell the dolls, Clifton is arrested by a white policeman, who harasses and abuses him. Searching for Brother Clifton and Brother Maceo, one of his best contacts and a regular at Barrelhouse's Jolly Dollar who has been missing for some time, the narrator is shocked to find Brother Clifton selling dancing, paper Sambo dolls on a street corner.
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