Madhouse
Ras said chase them! It is time Ras the Exhorter become Ras the DESTROYER!
During chapter 23, the narrator describes a scene he encounters after Clifton’s death. Before discovering his ability to become Rhineheart, the narrator is faced with a mob of people in Harlem. The crowd is raving over Ras the Exhtorter. From his car, the narrator sees Ras blasting the Brotherhood, declaring their ineptidude for not acting on Clifton’s death. There is a discussion in front of the crowd between the narrator and Ras, and the violent shouts from the crowd eventually convince the narrator to slip away.
This speech is important because it shows the contrast between the ideals of the Black Nationalist Party and the Brotherhood. The BNP, who Ras advocates, uses emotion and agression as a drive to overthrow “white supremacy”. This is very reminiscent of Marcus Garvey, who was an actual member of the BNP that would stir violent crowds much like Ras, while wearing traditional African garb. Ellision uses Garvey’s ideals as an inspiration for the character of Ras, who eventually incites an all-out riot in Harlem while wearing African warrior clothes.
In addition, this speech is important because it shows the decline of the narrator’s faith in the Brtoehrhood. While he continues to back their ideals in the discussion, his lack of vigor shows that he realizes he cannot be a true individual underneath the rule of the Brotherhood. The transition of this speech to becoming Rhineheart shows the narrator’s change in personality as an individual, and his ability to dissapear is born.
In short, this speech is critical to the novel because it is a climatic point of the clash between the Brotherhood and the BNP, but not the final clash between the Narrator and (now) Ras the Destroyer.
