Reading 1001 discussion

4. What is the significance of the grandfather's deathbed speech [p.16]? Whom or what has he betrayed? What other characters in this book resort to the same strategy of smiling betrayal?

It is really unclear what is meant in the death bed speech to the narrator. The narrator is meek and agreeable too. It is unclear who is betrayed. If you agree on the outside and smile but on the inside you are angry and not agreeing that would contribute to maintaining your invisibility.

I think the Grandfather believed he had betrayed his own people by always being agreeable to people.

The narrator resorts to smiling betrayal when he decides to go along with the Brotherhood's plans just so he can subvert them.

The white brothers are also doing this by pretending to want one thing by aiming for another.

Thank you Kristel and Book. Good points.

I second Connie. I didn't understand the significance of the deathbed speech or why it had so much power over the narrator. You've given me some points to think about.

I didn't understand the significance of the deathbed speech either.