Thoughts on Liberty Paints 

After reading Invisible Man, there were several developments within the plots that were significant in developing major themes and ideas in the novel itself. Some of these themes include invisibility, sight/blindness, and identity. Often, I saw the theme of white verses black as both a literal and metaphorical concept. Of these different developments, I thought the Liberty Paints episode was significant in underscoring both the inequality and irony within society. As my seminar group is focusing on this part of the novel for an in depth study, I thought it would be natural for me to let some thoughts flow on the subject - specifically the factory episode in chapter ten. 

At Liberty Paints, the factory's gains most of its pride from it "Optic White" paint. It's interesting to note that this prize winning paint required "ten drops" of a "dead black" liquid put into a "white graduate." This not only came as a surprise to the narrator, but to me as well. After the narrator puts the black drops into the white graduate and mixes it, the paint turns bright and white. Kimbro then calls this paint "the purest white paint that can be found." I think this whole process was an intentional parallel to the customs of society in that time period. It shows that black people were necessary to make America thrive, but were often ignored and swallowed by the white people in the process. Although Kimbro calls "Optic White" the purest white paint around, white men normally considered blacks inferior and impure - as can be seen in the way the color white is typically associated with purity within the novel. This introduces a sense of irony in the whole paint mixing process. More so, it also goes to show the ignorance of the white community is recognizing the principle role of the black community within society. It is almost as if the whites and blacks complete each other - they need each other to thrive - in the same way that the white paint cannot be created without the black drops of liquid AND the white graduate. I thought that was an interesting interpretation of the scene, because although one may think that the author is disdainful and bitter towards whites for ignoring blacks, he may also be calling for the two to join together and acknowledge each other for the greater good. 

The episode with Lucius Brockway helps further the above arguments. Brockway tells the narrator, "Right down here is where the real paint is made. Without what I do they couldn't do nothing, they be making bricks without straw." It seems as if Brockway has a very necessary role in the paint making process at Liberty Paints, yet he always seems afraid that someone is trying to steal his job. He seems to live in a perpetual state of fear - it is strange, but very real, and I believe Ellison is intentionally illustrating the fear that gripped the lives of the African Americans that lived in America. Although Brockway has a legitimate society-building role, his efforts are often ignored. This brings in the irony of the name of the factory itself: "Liberty Paints." How much "Liberty" is truly present within this factory? This parallels the question: How much "Liberty" (an American democratic ideal) is truly present within American society? By bringing these fundamental questions into the text, Ellison calls for a true reflection on our respective societies. 

One of my favorite chapters in the whole novel, it was able to relate many of the common themes of liberty and freedom into the text. A very enjoyable read.