Mwds: the Invisible Man
Major Works Data Sheet
Invisible Man
By: Heather
1. Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: Vintage International, 1995. Print.
2. Genre:
“Had they planned it this way? But no, they wouldn’t catch me again. This time I had made the move”(195).
The Genre of Invisible Man would be Bildungsroman, a word used to describe the personal development of education and formation. This quote carefully hints the identity recognition that the narrator is experiencing. The recognition that Ellison highlights shows the difference in the narrator and how he has come to the realization of who he truly is. Realizing this identity has led him to grasp the idea that he can make his own “move” and can seek revenge going against what others tell him. Ellison writes in this atypical genre because of the way it establishes the overall path that the narrator has taken for his search of character and selfdom. This chase for identification has left him saying “This time I had made the move” from where he use to fall under the impression of what was expected of him and to not step out of the boundaries. Breaking away from this normality was a major shock to not only the narrator himself but the readers as well. As an audience we are accustomed to hearing him as a follower instead of a profound leader. This one fragment of a sentence pushed away this belief into an entire different dimension. It showed us his growth and development as a human being and a civilian. Ellison portrayed this advancement thoroughly with Bildungsroman and proved his reasoning of why he chose this genre to follow over any other classification.
3. Style:
“Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat. Our fate is to become one, and yet many -- This is not prophecy, but description” (577).
4. Description of Style:
The style is portrayed in Invisible Man through Ralph Ellison’s impeccable and descriptive writing. He uses powerful verbs such as
Invisible Man
By: Heather
1. Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: Vintage International, 1995. Print.
2. Genre:
“Had they planned it this way? But no, they wouldn’t catch me again. This time I had made the move”(195).
The Genre of Invisible Man would be Bildungsroman, a word used to describe the personal development of education and formation. This quote carefully hints the identity recognition that the narrator is experiencing. The recognition that Ellison highlights shows the difference in the narrator and how he has come to the realization of who he truly is. Realizing this identity has led him to grasp the idea that he can make his own “move” and can seek revenge going against what others tell him. Ellison writes in this atypical genre because of the way it establishes the overall path that the narrator has taken for his search of character and selfdom. This chase for identification has left him saying “This time I had made the move” from where he use to fall under the impression of what was expected of him and to not step out of the boundaries. Breaking away from this normality was a major shock to not only the narrator himself but the readers as well. As an audience we are accustomed to hearing him as a follower instead of a profound leader. This one fragment of a sentence pushed away this belief into an entire different dimension. It showed us his growth and development as a human being and a civilian. Ellison portrayed this advancement thoroughly with Bildungsroman and proved his reasoning of why he chose this genre to follow over any other classification.
3. Style:
“Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat. Our fate is to become one, and yet many -- This is not prophecy, but description” (577).
4. Description of Style:
The style is portrayed in Invisible Man through Ralph Ellison’s impeccable and descriptive writing. He uses powerful verbs such as