Lit Analysis: The Invisible Man

1. The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is about a black man who feels invisible. Because he feels invisible he shuts himself off from the world and lives underground stealing electricity from the Monopolated Light & Power Company. He is a young man from the 1920's who lived in the South. He gets invited to give a speech to an important group of white men, where they give him money to go to a prestigious black college but not before they humiliate him. Three years later, in college, he is told to drive Mr. Norton around. Through this series of events he eventually travels to Harlem where he tries to find work. After searching for work unsuccessfully, he meets Mr. Emerson who gets him a job at "Optic White." One day the narrator and his co-worker get in an argument and while leaving the paint unattended it explodes knocking the narrator unconscious, which temporarily gives him memory loss and loss of speech. The white doctor uses the unidentified black patient as an opportunity to conduct electric shock. When the narrator regains his memory he leaves the hospital but passed out in the street. Mary takes him home and while he is there he witnesses a black couple get evicted. He gives an impassioned speech, and Brother Jack overhears him and offers him a position as a spokesperson for the Brotherhood. The narrator holds a funeral for his friend Clifton, another member of the Brotherhood, who was shot by a police officer for selling Sambo dolls without a permit.  The Brotherhood, however, is mad that he held a funeral for Clifton, and he is furious at the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood then goes after the narrator to beat him up so he has to disguise himself.  In his disguise however, he is mistaken for a guy named Rinehart.  After a while, the narrator gets a call to come to Harlem and when he arrives there is a full-blown riot, and he sets a building on fire. While he is running from the scene he is set out to by lynched, and he runs into the police which while he is running from the police he falls down a manhole, and the police cover the manhole and trap him underground.  At the end of the novel, the narrator tells the audience that he has been underground since that day and he thinks that it is time to get out back into the world.

2. The theme of this novel is invisibility. Since the narrator is a black man in the 20's he is constantly treated like a "nobody" and therefore he feels all alone and invisible.

3. The author's tone is both pessimistic and optimistic. Throughout the novel the narrator goes through ups and downs and so his outlook on life is constantly changing between pessimism and optimism.

4. -Motif: Sight is common throughout the novel. Reverend Barbee gives a speech and then tells the crowd he is blind. Brother Jack has a false eye.
-Symbolism: The sambo doll represent the black stereotypes and the negative power of prejudice.
-Pathos: Throughout the novel, the author talks about the "invisibility" of African Americans and uses emotions to try and convince readers to change this prejudice
-Foil: Ras the exhorter is opposite of the narrator, he is very well known and believes in violence.
-Imagery: When the narrator went to the bar with Mr. Norton, he described the veterans as disturbed.
-Naturalism: When Ras the Destroyer started the riot in Harlem, New York and the city was destroyed, a fire started, windows to stores were broken and you link the destruction to Ras the Destroyer, and it was an example of realism because it could though extreme.
-Hubris: In the Brotherood, Clifton was filled with pride and so he eventually left and was got selling dolls which led to his death.
- Metaphor: The title compares societies narrow-minded and stereotypical views on black people and makes the narrator seem essentially, invisible.
Allegory: The optic white paint looked its best when some drops of black were added. This represents that our nation looks better when we include African Americans.
- Allusion: Throughout the book, the author alludes to Emerson, Jefferson and Washington.

Characterization
      Direct: "I am not ashamed for my grandparent having once been slaves. I am only ashamed of myself for having at one time been ashamed."
"    "What and how much had I lost by trying to do only what was expected of me instead of what I myself wished I do?"
      Indirect: "You right, but everything that looks good ain't necessarily good."
      2. When the white people talked, the diction was demanding and rude and the author focused on how two-faced they were. When he talks about himself he is thoughtful.
      3. The narrator is a dynamic and round character because throughout the novel he talked about the changes he went through. His personality changes as well; he becomes more thoughtful and analytical about his choices.
      4. Yes, I can relate with the narrator. Everyone at one point in their life feels alone and invisible, but that is a part of life. You eventually get through it you just have to stay strong and fight till you get there.  

Super 5

I know these people are not experts, but my potential experts the group that is beginning soon. The group is future teachers. That being said, one, that could be more like 5 people, and two, we don't know a lot but we are in the same boat and can work together to get where we all want to be. However, this group includes Dr. Preston who does have connections that we may need.

Launch

I think when people look at me and my life in general, they think "her life revolves around soccer." And if you look on instagram, twitter, basically any social media site I have, the main focus IS soccer. However, like most people, we don't express all of our passions equally. I love reading, but I don't share that with everyone I meet. I enjoy reading because it gives me a break from my chaotic life and I get to step into a different world for the time being. I completely forget about my surroundings and connect with the author and the characters he/she created. And that is why I don't share this part of my life so openly. It's something I enjoy doing alone. Don't get me wrong though, I love talking about what I've read, just don't interrupt me while I'm reading. Annette and I have gotten into some good conversations about some of the books we've both read. For our masterpiece, Annette and I plan to take those books we have both read, related to, and really understood the author and analyze them like we do with AP readings. We have both had difficulties relating to most of the books we've read this year in class, so I think we both want to prove that we do enjoy reading and can analyze a book in a way that would be worthy of an AP exam. The books we have chosen to complete this task are The Faults in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, The Hunger Games, and The Host. The first two novels are by the same author and so our plan is to compare what literary techniques he tends to use in his writing. The other two are dystopia-like, similar to Brave New World which we are currently reading in class.

When I first completed the launch draft, I was leaning towards my passion for kids and what I was planning on doing in my future, becoming an elementary teacher. And on the surface, the masterpiece Annette and I have created doesn't focus on that at all. But I put some thought into it, and it actually does. Working and collaborating with Annette over these next few months is exactly what I will have to do with my fellow colleagues in the future. We will have to plan our lesson plans, that need to be similar so all the children get the most out of their schooling and that we follow the requirements. Finally, teaching the class on the books we have read is good practice for what I will be doing everyday as an elementary teacher.

Brave New World Essay

Prompt: Choose a novel or play in which cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole.  Do not merely summarize the plot.

Essay:
       "If one's different, one's bound to be lonely." In every society, one is always striving to fit in because they want to be successful and in order to do that, it is important to be well liked. In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Bernard Marx is the outcast. Although he has been placed in the highest caste of the World State, he feels left out because he knows he different than everyone else. This is seen by the reader in the very early stages of the novel, and it will be a key element in the rest of the development of the novel.
        The first time the reader notices is when Huxley begins to describe his physical difference compared to the other Alphas. He is much smaller than them and feels like it would fit in better with some of the lower classes. It is said that there might have possibly been a mix up, and alcohol was placed in his egg when he was being created. And because of his physical difference, himself and other Alphas have labeled him as the outcast and so he feels like he doesn't belong.
        This label makes him keep to himself and therefore critics the World State, which furthers his distance from the others. In Brave New World, it is odd for others to keep to themselves, and because Bernard does this often, others tend to keep their distance from him as well, aiding in his insecurity. Because of his insecurity, he does not have a commanding voice where he can demand the lower castes to do things for him and this even furthers the idea of him being an outcast. An example of this is when he is preparing to leave in his helicopter and tries to get the lower castes to get it ready, but they refuse to do it right away.
        In the World State, stability and happiness are the main goals needed to maintain. And since Bernard is instable and unhappy because of his given label it affects his moral traits and how he acts as a character. Surroundings always affect a person, whether it's positive or negative, and this is definitely proven by Bernard in this novel.

Brave New World Essay Topic

Question 3

(Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)

Palestinian American literary theorist and cultural critic Edward Said has written that “Exile is strangely compelling

to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place,

between the self and its true home: its essential sadness can never be surmounted.” Yet Said has also said that exile

can become “a potent, even enriching” experience.

Select a novel, play, or epic in which a character experiences such a rift and becomes cut off from “home,” whether

that home is the character’s birthplace, family, homeland, or other special place. Then write an essay in which you

analyze how the character’s experience with exile is both alienating and enriching, and how this experience

illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. You may choose a work from the list below or one of comparable

literary merit. Do not merely summarize the plot.

I Am Here

I feel pretty confident in what I've done with this course so far this semester. I have completely almost if not everything required on the blog. I have also done well on the vocab quizzes and in-class essays. I may have not gone above and beyond on everything, but for my very busy schedule I have been impressed with what I have done. For my final project, Annette and I have just been reading our books like normal so far, and once it gets closer to the end we will begin to discuss how we will present it to the class. And finally, I am still interested in becoming involved in the future teacher group that Dr. Preston introduced to me, once that begins.

Lit Terms #6

Simile:  a figure of speech comparing two essentially unlike things through the use of a specific word of comparison.

Soliloquy: an extended speech, usually in a drama, delivered by a character alone on stage.

Spiritual: a folk song, usually on a religious theme.

Speaker: a narrator, the one speaking.

Stereotype: cliché; a simplified, standardized conception with a special meaning and appeal for members of a group; a formula story.

Stream of Consciousness: the style of writing that attempts to imitate the natural flow of a character’s thoughts, feelings, reflections, memories, and mental images, as the character experiences them.

Structure: the planned framework of a literary selection; its apparent organization.

Style:  the manner of putting thoughts into words; a characteristic way of writing or speaking.

Subordination: the couching of less important ideas in less important  structures of language.

Surrealism: a style in literature and painting that stresses the subconscious or the nonrational aspects of man’s existence characterized by the juxtaposition of the bizarre and the banal.

Suspension of Disbelief: suspend not believing in order to enjoy it.

Symbol: something which stands for something else, yet has a meaning of its own.

Synesthesia: the use of one sense to convey the experience of another sense.

Synecdoche: another form of name changing, in which a part stands for the whole.

Syntax: the arrangement and grammatical relations of words in a sentence.

Theme:  main idea of the story; its message(s).

Thesis: a proposition for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved
or disproved; the main idea.

Tone: the devices used to create the mood and atmosphere of a literary work; the author’s perceived point of view.

Tongue in Cheek: a type of humor in which the speaker feigns seriousness; a.k.a. “dry” or “dead pan”

Tragedy: in literature: any composition with a somber theme carried to a disastrous conclusion; a fatal event; protagonist usually is heroic but tragically (fatally) flawed

Understatement: opposite of hyperbole; saying less than you mean for emphasis

Vernacular: everyday speech

Voice:  The textual features, such as diction and sentence structures, that convey a writer’s or speaker’s persona.

Zeitgeist: the feeling of a particular era in history

Welcome to the Interdisciplinarity

For our final project, Annette and I plan to take more modern books we enjoy reading, like The Faults In Our Stars for example, and analyze the book and find literary techniques and so we can therefore prove that modern books can be taught in a classroom just like the books from the AP reading list.

HAFTA/WANNA

       I don't see a huge difference between my life in high school and my life in college. Obviously, I grown and change as I get older but those changes are insignificant on a day to day basis. Your daily experiences increase your knowledge on life and the world itself. And I think one difference on this idea is that I will gain more knowledge in college. In high school, I feel like we are trapped and locked away from the world. But in college, we are allowed more freedom to explore, and we just have to choose to do that.  As the years go on, we are going to me new people, and have new surroundings but we are still going to be the same person, just with a few variations.  We are the person we are because of our past experiences and there is no way to change that even if we want to. So, no we are not going to magically transform the day after graduation.
      In high school and college, I believe that it is important to find time to do the things you want to do in between the things you have to do. Otherwise, you will have a complete breakdown. You need to find an outlet where you can give yourself a break when you are under all the stress of school and other obligations. Currently, I find my break right when I get out of school. Very rarely do I come straight home from school and begin homework. I eat lunch and watch some TV and give myself a breather before I continue with the things I need to do. And also I have soccer. Soccer is something I enjoy doing yet at the same time I am doing something productive. As I move on in the world, I want to make a good life for myself and at the same time be something useful for others.

Launch/Draft

-    What am I passionate about?  What do I want to do?
I am passionate about soccer. I've played since I was six and developed a love for it and I love to accomplish goals with my teammates like winning a game or getting first in a tournament and I think being able to work well with others will prepare me for my future. I also have a passion for babies and little kids so I plan on majoring in liberal studies to become an elementary teacher.

How can I use the tools from last semester (and the Internet in general)?

The internet is a great way to connect with other people who have connections with different people to get me to where I want to go. Technology is a definite advantage for this generation and all we have to do it take advantage of it ourselves.

What will I need to do in order to "feel the awesomeness with no regrets" by June?

I think my main goal is to just stay on top of everything and not fall behind, in school and for my future. I need to continue applying for scholarships so I have enough money to even begin to accomplish my goals.

What will impress/convince others (both in my life and in my field)?

As an elementary teacher it is important to have patience and good time management, and I possess both of those qualities.

How will I move beyond 'What If' and take this from idea --> reality?

Obviously, I need to go to college and get a degree which I am in the process of doing, so basically I need to just keep doing what I'm doing and have determination.

Who will be the peers, public, and experts in my personal learning network?

My peers, publics and experts will be the children I am teaching, other teachers and my boss (principal). Or from a college prospective, my professors, others desiring to be a teacher, and teachers I have internships with.

Lit Terms: List 5

Parallelism: the principle in sentence structure that states elements of equal function should have equal form.
ex) She likes cooking, jogging and reading.

Parody:  an imitation of mimicking of a composition or of the style of a well-known artist.

ex) SNL is a parody.

Pathos:  the ability in literature to call forth feelings of pity, compassion, and/or sadness. ex) Many authors involve pathos in their writing to bring out emotions of the readers.

Pedantry: a display of learning for its own sake.

Personification: a figure of speech attributing human qualities to inanimate objects or  abstract ideas.
ex) The trees branches created shade for the kids.

Plot: a plan or scheme to accomplish a purpose.
ex) The plot of Great Expectations follows Pip's life.

Poignant:  eliciting sorrow or sentiment.

Point of View: the attitude unifying any oral or written argumentation; in description, the physical point from which the observer views what he is describing.
ex) 1st person, third person

Postmodernism: literature characterized by experimentation, irony, nontraditional forms, multiple meanings, playfulness and a blurred boundary between real and imaginary.
ex) Catch-22

Prose:  the ordinary form of spoken and written language; language that does not have a regular rhyme pattern.

Protagonist: the central character in a work of fiction; opposes antagonist.
ex) Pip in Great Expectations

Pun:  play on words; the humorous use of a word emphasizing different meanings or applications.
ex) Can't keep beating a dead horse (Broncos)

Purpose: the intended result wished by an author.
ex) The purpose of school is to prepare us for our future.

Realism:  writing about the ordinary aspects of life in a straight forward manner to reflect life as it actually is.

Refrain:  a phrase or verse recurring at intervals in a poem or song; chorus.

Requiem:  any chant, dirge, hymn, or musical service for the dead.

Resolution: point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out; denouement.
ex) The resolution of CSI is when they caught the guy that murdered the girl.

Restatement: idea repeated for emphasis.

Rhetoric: use of language, both written and verbal in order to persuade.

Rhetorical Question: question suggesting its own answer or not requiring an answer; used in argument or persuasion.

Rising Action: plot build up, caused by conflict and complications, advancement towards climax.

Romanticism:  movement in western culture beginning in the eighteenth and peaking in the nineteenth century as a revolt against Classicism; imagination was valued over reason and fact.

Satire:  ridicules or condemns the weakness and wrong doings of individuals, groups, institutions, or humanity in general.
ex) The quote we talked about in class today contained satire.

Scansion: the analysis of verse in terms of meter.

Setting: the time and place in which events in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem occur.
ex) Tale of Two Cities took place during the war.