Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is one of the most influential books of the twentieth century, providing an exploration of racial and social identity and injustice in America. Through its nameless protagonist, Ellison takes the reader on a journey from the rural South to the hustle and bustle of Harlem, where he faces society's racism and discrimination head-on.
The novel begins with the narrator, an unnamed African American man, in the depths of a coal cellar in the south. Having been kicked out of college, he is now wandering, unable to find a place of his own in society. He eventually decides to travel north to Harlem in search of a better life and to fulfill his quest for identity.
In Harlem, the narrator gets a job as an alley worker for a factory, but his hard work doesn't pay off. Instead, he finds himself in a battle of wits with the factory's white superintendent, Mr. Emerson. Emerson schemes to exploit the narrator's work for his own benefit and not for the cause of the workers. Despite feeling invalidated, the narrator attempts to rise above and gets a job at a paint factory, where he is determined to prove his worth.
He finds a place to live with brothers who have a speakeasy, as well as a group of friends from the factory. With them, he discovers a newfound sense of personal value, but his pride is grabbed too early. Mr. Norton, a visiting trustee from the college that had originally expelled the narrator, visits him at his work. After the meeting, the narrator questions his newfound identity and the essence of his life, leading him to join a battle royal.
The battle royal, organized by the local businessman Mr. Blurbeck, strips the narrator of his pride and any sense of personal identity. Everyone at the battle royal is treated as nothing more than a mindless entity, forced to take part in a violent spectacle. This experience ultimately serves as a background and motif of the novel, highlighting the invisibility of the African American struggle. After this traumatizing experience and more in his journey, the narrator comes to the conclusion that being invisible is a better way of dealing with discrimination.
By the end of the novel, the narrator realizes that his invisibility is a form of power and that he can use it to get through a hostile world and create a better life for himself. He is no longer looking for acceptance from society, but instead looking for internal validation from himself and his ability to survive. The ending of the novel leaves the reader with much to ponder: will society ever be able to truly accept differences and live in peace?
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is a powerful book, critically acclaimed for its exploration of racial and social identity in America. Through its profound depiction of emotion and the human experience, Ellison shows us that individuals can be strong, independent, and self-reliant even in a world of discrimination. While the world may never be equal, Ellison reveals how the pain and suffering of a struggle can turn into strength in the fight for identity.
