The narrator took the negative ways of Negro life and used it to gain positive results, for him, from his white counterparts. The narrator believes that being asked to give speeches, which expressed the humility that Negroes should have, would serve as a stepping stone towards his goal of gaining their praises; much like that of Booker T. Washington. With respect to his grandfather and to the honor of Mr. Washington, I believe the narrator …showed first 75 words of 1294 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1294 total…he would be the soldier his grandfather wanted him to be. The white man in turn could see he was a black man who knew his place and thus deserved some of the small pleasures of white life. Works Cited Afro-American Almanac. “African American History Resource”. September 18, 2000. http://www.toptags.com/aama/events/okriot.htm Ellison, Ralph. “Battle Royal” The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999. 223-233.