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.
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