In the final chapters of Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, the reader may encounter many different obstacles, all of which lead back to the ongoing issue of race and white supremacy in 1930s. Specifically, in chapter 20, an issue is presented that, fifty years later, is still a major concern. This controversy arose after the questionable death of former Brotherhood member, Tod Clifton. Clifton was shot and killed by white officers after alleged "illegal activity." The difference between this unjustified murder and those of today lies in the reactions and involvement of the public. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Similar to the death of Tod Clifton is the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man shot and killed for no apparent reason. Many believe his murder was the result of negative opinions about his skin color: “Mr. Wilson is white. Mr. Brown was black. Protesters see the case in terms of racism and police brutality” (BBC News). These two deaths are similar in the series of events they triggered. In Brown's case, his death sparked a movement that involved people outside the region and generated a nationwide debate about the relationship between law enforcement and African Americans. The controversy over the issue is immense, many different people support opposing sides, however, not everyone is coming forward with their opinions, "There are witnesses who support what Agent Wilson says happened, but they have not spoken to the media " (BBC News ). Although these two cases are similar, the public reactions are different in each. At the time of Clifton's death, the public remained quite estranged, apparently leading the narrator to serious skepticism about the Brotherhood's true intentions by saying, "Men out of time, who would soon be gone and forgotten" (chap. 20, page 420), and deducing how the brotherhood doesn't care about its members. This skepticism ultimately leads the narrator to see the negative effects of the Brotherhood and their ineffective movements. After Clifton's death, many gathered for his funeral. The narrator took Clifton's funeral as an opportunity to regain power; he rallied crowds in an attempt to regain a solid base. The irony of this scene involves the Brotherhood's rebuke of the narrator for supporting a dead man's actions that killed him in the first place. Eventually Clifton's death fuels a massive race riot. This riot can be significantly compared to that of the Brown case; however, the difference between the uprising of fifty years ago and today is the supporters. In Clifton's time, the main supporters shared the same race as Clifton even though white supremacy dominated most of the time; “I heard he had white fever and left” (ch.20, page 415). Unlike the 1930s, in today's race riots there is a diverse group of supporters, making the protest more effective. These alleged supporters are taking control, “Protesters are demanding further action be taken following the release of a federal report alleging racial bias in the city's policing” (BBC News), the results of these demands lead to solutions such as trials against justifying the victims and the consequences of the guilty law enforcement officers who played a role in the incidents. Please note: this is just an example. Get one now.
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