Mr. Norton Character Analysis in Invisible Man

Mr. Norton is a white trustee of the college from Boston. Norton believes that though his donations he understands the black community, but in reality he is clueless, a fact that is exposed by his experience with Trueblood and at the Golden Day. He is obsessed with his “destiny,” believing that he is responsible for the fate of young black men like the narrator. Mr. Norton also has a strange obsession with his daughter, a facet of his personality that is revealed when listens to Trueblood’s story with a little too much excitement.

Mr. Norton Quotes in Invisible Man

The Invisible Man quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Norton or refer to Mr. Norton. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

I looked at Ras on his horse and at their handful of guns and recognized the absurdity of the whole night and of the simple yet confoundingly complex arrangement of hope and desire, fear and hate, that had brought me here still running, and knowing now who I was and where I was and knowing too that I had no longer to run for or from the Jacks and the Emersons and the Bledsoes and Nortons, but only from their confusion, impatience, and refusal to recognize the beautiful absurdity of their American identity and mine.

Related Characters: (speaker), , , , ,

Page Number and Citation: 559

Explanation and Analysis:

Mr. Norton Character Timeline in Invisible Man

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Norton appears in Invisible Man. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...narrator remembers chauffeuring for one of these millionaires in his junior year, a man named Mr. Norton . He is an old and aristocratic man from Boston, one of the college’s original... (full context)

Mr. Norton recounts the early days of the college, telling the narrator that he only helped assist... (full context)

The narrator asks Mr. Norton why he became interested in the school. Mr. Norton tells him that he feels connected... (full context)

Mr. Norton then explains a second reason, telling the narrator that he once had a daughter. He... (full context)

Mr. Norton tells the narrator “you are my fate.” He asks the narrator to promise to tell... (full context)

The narrator drives the car into an unfamiliar territory near campus. Mr. Norton admits not recognizing the area, which is mostly populated by poor shacks. At Mr. Norton’s... (full context)

The narrator tells Mr. Norton that the cabin is from “slavery times,” which confuses and disturbs Mr. Norton. Outside the... (full context)

Mr. Norton is stunned by this information, and asks repeatedly if the story is true. The narrator... (full context)

Mr. Norton asks Trueblood if the story of his deed is true and remarks, “You did and... (full context)

...and needs to see the event through. The narrator tries to interrupt the story, but Mr. Norton silences him. (full context)

After hearing Trueblood’s story, Mr. Norton has become completely pale. The narrator asks if Mr. Norton is all right and convinces... (full context)

As the narrator drives Mr. Norton to the nearest bar, he recognizes a group of veterans from the nearby insane asylum.... (full context)

A weak Mr. Norton asks again for a stimulant, and asks who the man who stopped them was. The... (full context)

The narrator leaves Mr. Norton in the car and rushes into the Golden Day to buy whiskey. The bar is... (full context)

...“schoolboy” narrator, telling him that everyone has to drink inside. The narrator tells Halley that Mr. Norton is sick and can’t come in, but Halley still refuses. (full context)

The narrator begins to return to Mr. Norton , anxious about bringing him into the increasingly rowdy bar. The patients’ attendant is nowhere... (full context)

...help him. While the patients help the narrator they banter amusingly, as one claims that Mr. Norton is Thomas Jefferson and that he is his grandson. Mr. Norton is brought into the... (full context)

Halley gives the narrator a bottle of brandy, and the narrator feeds the alcohol to Mr. Norton . Mr. Norton revives, asks where he is, and is told that he is in... (full context)

...should leave, as the patients have lost control. The narrator agrees, but he has lost Mr. Norton . After searching, he finds Mr. Norton under the stairs, passed out again. He has... (full context)

The patient helps the narrator take Mr. Norton up to the balcony. Three girls from upstairs help them and give Mr. Norton a... (full context)

When the narrator returns with ice, the ex-doctor tells him that Mr. Norton will be all right. Mr. Norton revives and the narrator is sent to fetch a... (full context)

The narrator asks Mr. Norton if he would like to return to the campus now, but Mr. Norton insists on... (full context)

...three men to be happy, and that she will send them drinks. The ex-doctor tells Mr. Norton that he’s blushing, meaning that he must be feeling better. The narrator is amazed at... (full context)

The narrator again says that it’s time to go. The ex-doctor tells Mr. Norton that the narrator doesn’t understand his story, and calls him “invisible.” The ex-doctor next questions... (full context)

The narrator and Mr. Norton try to escape from the bar, which is still occupied by the rowdy mental patients.... (full context)

As the narrator drives Mr. Norton back to the campus, he is filled with fear. He wonders if Mr. Norton is... (full context)

...familiar and beautiful campus seems to threaten the narrator. The narrator imagines himself apologizing to Mr. Norton , assuring him that he’s not like Trueblood or the clientele of the Golden Day.... (full context)

...furious. Dr. Bledsoe says that he thought the narrator was smart enough not to let Mr. Norton do what he wanted. He tells the narrator that he only shows whites what he... (full context)

Dr. Bledsoe rushes to Mr. Norton ’s quarters with the narrator behind him. Dr. Bledsoe, after composing himself, apologizes profusely to... (full context)

As the narrator leaves Mr. Norton ’s quarters, he runs into a girl who asks him to take a message to... (full context)

...and tells him that Dr. Bledsoe wishes to see him now in Rabb Hall, where Mr. Norton is staying. (full context)

The narrator knocks and enters Mr. Norton ’s room. Mr. Norton greets him, telling him that Dr. Bledsoe had to leave, and... (full context)

...that Bledsoe is able to touch white men, and recalls his own close encounter with Mr. Norton . Bledsoe’s ease looks like an act of magic. To the students, Bledsoe is even... (full context)

In Dr. Bledsoe’s office, Bledsoe begins softly. The narrator hopes that Mr. Norton has helped soften his punishment. Bledsoe recounts the day’s events, saying that it “wasn’t enough”... (full context)

...of where the car was going. Bledsoe tells the narrator that he should have deceived Mr. Norton , saying, “the only way to please a white man is tell him a lie!”... (full context)

...and that he plans to get rid of him. The narrator knows that Bledsoe promised Mr. Norton not to punish him, and he becomes outraged at Bledsoe’s decision to break his word.... (full context)

Bledsoe continues, telling the narrator that he is “nobody,” and that white men like Mr. Norton will only hear what they want to hear. Bledsoe tells the narrator that his power... (full context)

The ex-doctor asks after Mr. Norton , and also asks the narrator if school is already out. The narrator tells him... (full context)

...D.C. After many months of attempting to transfer, he is sure that his conversation with Mr. Norton has something to do with it. (full context)

The narrator thinks of Mr. Norton , wishing he could see him again. To the narrator it seems like a great... (full context)

...is part of a plan that he doesn’t understand. He imagines that Dr. Bledsoe and Mr. Norton are somehow behind his lack of success in finding a job. The narrator is beginning... (full context)

Unexpectedly, the narrator asks the director if he knows Mr. Norton . The director tries to ignore the question, but the narrator asks him again. The... (full context)

...in a ballot box to be counted. The narrator feels that he has simply exchanged Mr. Norton for Brother Jack without making any progress whatsoever. (full context)

...vision of himself as a prisoner of all his past enemies, including Ras, Brother Jack, Mr. Norton , and Dr. Bledsoe. The narrator tells his captors that he is done running. The... (full context)

...gentleman on the subway platform. When he approached, it turned out that the man was Mr. Norton . The narrator asks Mr. Norton if Mr. Norton recognizes him. Mr. Norton does not... (full context)

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Mr. Norton Character Analysis

Mr. Norton Quotes in Invisible Man

Mr. Norton Character Timeline in Invisible Man

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