Ralph Ellison Invisible Man

Invisible Man, written by Ralph Ellison, follows a nameless narrator as he attempts to rediscover himself and achieve greater insight during the birth of the Harlem Renaissance. In addition to becoming accustomed to his surroundings, the narrator witnesses and partakes in the cultural and the social clash between the black and white communities. Throughout the story, the narrator is haunted by his grandfather’s last dying words, urging his family to “keep up the good fight (16).” His grandfather admits to have been a “traitor” to his heritage by living in “the enemy’s country.” Consequently, the narrator spends a great deal of his life in shame. His notable talent for public speaking gained him popularity within his community, especially among the white elitists. Following a speech at an event he is
After some persuasion, the narrator agrees to join the cause, whose mission is to create “a better world for all people (304).” Due to the narrator’s great skill of captivating an audience, the members of the Brotherhood stage him to become the “new Booker T. Washington (307).” The narrator admits to feeling more human now that he has joined an organization with a set purpose. He is assigned a place to stay and even a new name, which contributes to his inner conflict of discovering who he really is. Throughout history, minorities have always struggled to become apart of the society they have lived in. During the 1950s blacks especially started to become more restless as their fight towards equality intensified. The cruel but subtle treatment they faced while trying to integrate themselves into society often led them to face identity crises, which is portrayed in Invisible Man. Although the narrator battles condescending treatment from both black and white members, the real conflict is within himself and discovering where he