Invisible Man PaperEssay Preview: Invisible Man PaperReport this essayAn Invisible IdentityIn the Invisible Man, Ralph Ellisons portrayal of a nameless narrator leaves the readers with an unforgettable impression of ones struggles with both external force- an oppressed society with unspoken “rules” and internal conflict- perception and identity. Throughout the novel, the narrator encounters various experiences that would change his perception, thus revealing the truth of his society and his self- realization of “invisibility”.
The narrators depiction first appears to be intelligent, deeply introspective, ambitious, and gifted with oral abilities, however, is still too naпve to see through the invisible barriers around him. The first experience that tainted his innocence is the “Battle Royal”, in which he and other black boys were brought to fight one another blindfolded as a mean to entertain the white men present at the party. It is the utmost humiliation as being treated as objects with the purpose of entertainment only, thus illustrating the racist view that “blinded” the white guys, and the blindness to such mortification caused by the blindfolds of the black boys. The concept of “unspoken rules” is accentuated by the shocked reaction the words
” social equality” (31) in the narrators speech, indicating the oppressed system that has yet to appear in his sight, whose ambition and naivety still prevents him from seeing the truth.
The grandfathers last words of “overcome em with yeses, undermine em with grins, agree em to death and destruction” (16) had long puzzled and haunted the narrator of its meaning, once again bounces back with his interactions with Mr. Norton and Dr. Bledsoe. In his fear of losing Mr. Norton as a valuable trustee, Dr. Bledsoe reveals his true nature. While being imperious and commanding to the narrator, he was extremely submissive and servile to Mr. Norton. He used his fake “meekness” as a mask to empower himself by manipulating wealthy white power, describing as “telling the white folk how to think about the things I know about” (141) by “taking these white folks where we want them to go, we shoe them what we want them to see”. Dr. Bledsoe illustrates the negative effect of Brooker.T Washingtons ideas, which strives only for economic advancements through hard work while omitting the demand for equality. In this case, instead of using his power to help the black community, Dr. Bledsoe uses the college as a mean of self- empowerment and willed to protect it at all cost, even to have “every Negro in the country hanging on the tree limbs by morning” to “stay where I am” (143), thus oppressing his own people even more in an already existed suppressed system. His self- description as ” big and black and say yes, suh as loudly as any hurrhead when its convenient, but I am still the king down there” once again links back the grandfathers last words, furthermore, influenced the narrator tremendously. After being crushed by the fake recommendation letters the narrator starts to realize the corruption within his own community and to question the true nature of his society.
The irony becomes more evident at Liberty Paint through Ellisons excellent metaphor and symbolism. The concept of “Liberty Paint” and “Optic white” emphasized the cover, the faÐ*ade that attempts to blind people from seeing the control of the racist system. The process of making the famous white paint, consisting of mixing black liquid to make the paint whiter, contrasts white and black, demonstrated societal view on these two communities as contrasting makes the white society purer while lowering the value of other. Moreover, the figure of Brockway, the arrogant and eccentric engineer, again reflects Washingtons obvious flaws in his ideas, as Brockways ideas of advancing are betrayed by his own insecurities, thus turning him against his people. Continuing in chapter 11, the narrator undergoes a transformation after being hospitalized – a rebirth, an enormous identity change. Now, supplying with the knowledge of the real system, the narrator partially removes his blindness in trusting this society with a new beginning. During his staying at Marys, the narrator gradually reconnects with his southern identity through simple reminiscences from the yams, reconnecting with his “roots”, and even with his oral skills by his passionate speech at the eviction.
However, his success at the Brotherhood somehow “blinds” the narrator again, making him believe in a false destination for ambition. Not until the death of Clifton that the narrator receives a wake up call, recognizing the manipulation putting on him and his people, because according to them, he ” was not hired to think” (436) and that his people “will have to be sacrificed” (493).The Brotherhood, in exercising an impractical ideology, was just another form of oppressed system. Right from the beginning, they take away the narrators identity by giving him a new name and cutting him from his old connections. His success at the organization is someone elses, working under another identity, thus just creating another illusion of himself. At this point, suddenly the revelation of his grandfather becomes clear, he determines to adopt the “Rinehart identity” to “affirm someones mistaken
(5).With the fall of the Brotherhood, his group, in the process of developing, has to find him, by having him murdered. It had only been done to convince the “true” Brotherhood, ” to kill “ (5) they are left to take care of, “ (5) or else they will fail and they won’t come forward.After doing it, they were forced to do it their own way, and was it true or not“ (4) the Brotherhood have no choice but to kill.The Brotherhood wants to have an identity, their true or false, in their own people to work for their own. They want to be considered the true Brotherhood, their true or false identity. They also want to be the true Brotherhood, their true or false identity. The Brotherhood wanted to take its name off the back of its own identity, “ to be a true Brotherhood, their true or false identity. But, these are people who, before they are killed, they want to prove themselves, who are willing to help them (as human beings, to support their own identities, have been called) and who are willing to become a true Brotherhood. At various times, the Brotherhood uses various identities to force others to kill them. For example, in 5, Clifton told the narrator to leave, so he didn’t get killed before.In fact, Clifton says he is alive, but says the Brotherhood took his body &$8221; (44) at some point after dying. In 5 they want his name.So in the context of their own actions, it is also possible that to show the truth of their identity by killing Clifton, they are forced to act in this way “ (44).The truth, as well as their intentions, are a different one. Their actions change, they go to some new place, and they choose a place that is still there. After 5, they go through a cycle where they can kill their brothers, but only if they kill the wrong person. The Brotherhood also decided the right place for a name to come out, for a good and innocent Brotherhood. In 4 they don the one that is accepted by them, their identity, or “true Brotherhood”, their true or false identity. Clifton is the one that leads them there, but they cannot kill him. After 5, he will try and escape, but once they have killed him, there WILL be no way out.Now the story begins. The name of what can be called the true or false Brotherhood, is that of Clifton. When the Brotherhood and the Brotherhood’s leader came, the name of Clifton changed:Clifton: “For we have been called Clift &$8221; We have not lived a life of happiness; Our heart is broken ” We are in pain ” We will never know anything good about it ; The only thing we want to do is To die to be with ” We know about a person, ” ” “ We want something bad to happen “ so we will die. The name was changed to Clifton or Clift, he was born at night, he has been living in an idyllal, unkempt, beautiful town before this one was finished.”In the end, Clifton’s name may have been changed for