Symbolism In Invisible Man

Is Optic White the Right White? In chapter ten of Invisible Man, written by Ralph Ellison, the narrator, IM, is recommended by Mr. Emerson to work at the Liberty Paints factory. At first sight, IM was shocked at the patriotism of this company with the American flags, a sign that says “Keep America Pure with Liberty Paints” (196), and a logo of a screaming eagle. He was ordered to work as an assistant for Mr. Kimbro, who mixes paints to get the company’s signature color, Optic White. After he fails to mix the paint, IM was then sent to the basement to help Lucius Brockway, a black man who plays an essential role in running the company because he makes the “veehicle”(214) of the paint. Ellison uses the characters, actions, and symbols such as the pure white paint in this scene at the Liberty Paints factory to demonstrate invisibility, racism, and irony in America because the North was supposed to be a melting pot. A recurring theme in Invisible Man is invisibility, which was illustrated in this chapter through the characters and symbols.This scene starts off with IM having to find the Liberty Paints building as he comes out of the fog and gets across
Although the Liberty Paints building is only a factory that makes paint, it actually symbolizes how the society works in the real world. Objects such as the fog and paint were used to demonstrate invisibility and characters such as Mr. Kimbro and Lucius Brockway shows the racism and flaws in the society. The irony in this scene is that it takes place in the melting pot of America, New York, and in a factory called Liberty Paints, but everything that happened seems to be filled with oppression and discrimination. Consequently, this scene helps to explain the underlying issues in the society in which it takes place and deepens the understanding of the