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#1
The narrator creates a speech to share to try and get a scholarship for college. First, he has to fight other boys his age as a form of entertainment to the rich white men. It’s a way of payment for the boys, even though it’s cruel and dehumanizing. After the fight, the narrator gives the speech and is granted the money for college. -
#2
The protagonist is admitted to a college in the South. There, he escorts one of the founders, Mr. Norton. They go off campus, per Mr. Norton’s request, and they meet with a citizen named Trueblood. He is notorious in the area as he raped his daughter, who then had a baby. The protagonist drives him to Glory Days, where Mr. Norton is overwhelmed. This sends him into a shock again, and the protagonist is blamed for it by Dr. Bledsoe, the president of the campus. -
#3
The narrator is ordered to go meet with Dr. Bledsoe. There, Bledsoe critiques the narrator, and laughs in his face when he tries to speak up for his rights. The narrator is expelled from school, but Dr. Bledsoe writes letters to people up in New York city that the narrator could work for. -
#4
The protagonist then travels North, along with the vet who was wise and sent Mr. Norton into shock. Once arriving in New York, he is shocked by all of the freedom that blacks have, and tries to fit in as best as possible, but fails. All of the locals rapidly pin him for a Southerner, and he becomes defensive to it. He then goes to every office that Dr. Bledsoe directed him to, but gets rejected by all. -
#5
The narrator goes to Mr. Emerson’s office, the final one, where he meets the son. Instead of brushing him off like the other secretaries, he has the narrator read the letter. Dr. Bledsoe’s letter wasn’t one of recommendation, it was one of sabotage, asking for them to not give the narrator a job. Emerson’s son is apologetic, and directs the narrator to a low-paying job mixing and working with paint. -
#6
At Liberty Paints, the narrator is instructed to work mixing paints. His boss gives him few directions and talks to him rudely. The narrator is against this, and acts rude back. When failing to successfully make the paints, he is sent to work downstairs with a man named Lucius Brockway. They work together for a little, until Lucius accuses the narrator of being a part of the union, and kicked him out after a fight. -
#7
The narrator is welcomed to live with a lady for free after fainting in the street and being brought to her house. One day, he sees an old couple getting evicted while he was walking in the streets. Instead of standing by and doing nothing, he stands up for her with his words. -
#8
The narrator becomes a part of the Brotherhood. He is recruited by Brother Jack. He was hesitant to join, but eventually gave in. He gives speeches with true passion, believing every word he said. For the first time, he feels at peace with himself, but his position begins to be jeopardized, and he starts to uncover the ugly truths behind it. -
#9
A former member of the Brotherhood is kicked out. One day, the narrator sees him on the street selling dolls without a permit. Although the offense wasn’t posing a threat to others, the police came and, instead of negotiating with the man, they shot him. The narrator holds a funeral for Clifton, even though the Brotherhood isn’t happy about it, as he was kicked out. Now, the narrator sees the Brotherhood’s true colors, and turns on them. -
#10
The narrator is caught in the middle of a riot, and Ras the Extorter and the Brotherhood have turned fully against him. Running from the riot, Ras, and the police, the narrator falls into a manhole. Instead of making an attempt to pull him out, the police leave him in there, where he has stayed since, and plans to stay for the rest of his life.
