RalphEllisonand

InvisibleManProf.Zhouzhoufuqiang@03/12/2013AmericanLiteratureWeek13OutlineforTodayReviewTennesseeWilliamsthroughdictationandquestions.UnderstandRalphWaldoEllisonFocusonInvisibleManTennesseeWilliamsQuestions

Whatdosethetitleoftheplaystandfor?WhatisStanleyandStella'sneighborhoodlike?What'swrongwithBlanche?WhatisBelleReve?WhatdoesStanleyknowaboutBlanche'spast?Whatwouldyoufindmoredisagreeable?Blanche'supperclasssnobishness,orStanley'sworkingclassvulgarity?EllisonQuotesGoodfictionismadeofthatwhichisreal,andrealityisdifficulttocomeby.Somuchofitdependsupontheindividual'swillingnesstodiscoverhistrueself,uponhisdefininghimself--forthetimebeingatleast--againsthisbackground.Theunderstandingofartdependsfinallyuponone'swillingnesstoextendone'shumanityandone'sknowledgeofhumanlife.“Iamamanofsubstance,offleshandbone,fibreandliquids-andImightevenbesaidtopossessamind.Iaminvisiblebecausepeoplerefusetoseeme…Whentheyapproachmetheyseeonlymysurroundings,themselves,orfigmentsoftheirimagination-indeed,everythingandanythingexceptme.”RalphWaldoEllison

(1914-1994)NamedforRalphWaldoEmersonEllison’sfirstandonlynovel,7yearstotaltocomplete

"InvisibleMan",ThenovelwasimmenselypopularwithbothwhitesandblacksWonthenationalbookawardEpisodicNovelStoryistoldinaseriesofincidentsorevents.Theepisodessucceedeachother,withnoparticulararrangementProtagonistexperiencesastringofoccurrencesandeventsCharacterizedbyalooselyconnectedstringofincidentsMaincharacterhasnoname:thenatureoftheseexperiencesandthecumulativeeffectonhimisimportantBildungsromanNovel

Acomingofagenovelwhichchroniclesacharacter’sdevelopmentandmaturationoverthespanofseveralyears.Maincharacterbeginsasabrighthighschoolstudentandmaturestoamanwhounderstandsthenatureoftheworld.UniversalNovelInvisibleManisaquesttoknowoneselfStruggleforacceptanceAlthoughitconcernsrace,itisreallyaboutourdesiretosucceedandbehappyinlife.Eventsareinrealsettings,butsettingsalwaysstandforsomethingbeyondsurfacelevelInvisibleMan(1952)Firstpublishedin1952andimmediatelyhailedasamasterpiece,InvisibleManisoneofthoserarenovelsthathavechangedtheshapeofAmericanliterature.InvisibleManisthestoryofamaninNewYorkCitywho,afterhisexperiencesgrowingupandlivingasamodelblackcitizen,nowlivesinanundergroundholeandbelievesheisinvisibletoAmericansociety.InvisibleManisuniquenotonlyintheliteratureworld,butalsointhepoliticalworldforaddinganewvoicetothediscussionaboutblacksinAmerica.Thenarratorbeginstellinghisstorywiththeclaimthatheisan“invisibleman.”Hisinvisibility,hesays,isnotaphysicalcondition—heisnotliterallyinvisible—butisrathertheresultoftherefusalofotherstoseehim.Hesaysthatbecauseofhisinvisibility,hehasbeenhidingfromtheworld,livingundergroundandstealingelectricityfromaLight&PowerCompany.Heburns1,369lightbulbssimultaneouslyandlistenstoLouisArmstrong’s“(WhatDidIDotoBeSo)BlackandBlue”onaphonograph.Hesaysthathehasgoneundergroundinordertowritethestoryofhislifeandinvisibility.Asayoungman,inthelate1920sorearly1930s,thenarratorlivedintheSouth.Becauseheisagiftedpublicspeaker,heisinvitedtogiveaspeechtoagroupofimportantwhitemeninhistown.Themenrewardhimwithabriefcasecontainingascholarshiptoaprestigiousblackcollege,butonlyafterhumiliatinghimbyforcinghimtoseeanakedgirl,tofightina“battleroyal”againstotheryoungblackmen,allblindfolded,inaboxingring.Afterthebattleroyal,thewhitemenforcetheyouthstoscrambleoveranelectrifiedruginordertosnatchatfakegoldcoins.Thenarratorhasadreamthatnightinwhichheimaginesthathisscholarshipisactuallyapieceofpaperreading“ToWhomItMayConcern...KeepThisNigger-BoyRunning.”Thoughthenarratorisintelligent,deeplyintrospective,andhighlygiftedwithlanguage,theexperiencesthatherelatesdemonstratethathewasna?veinhisyouth.Asthenovelprogresses,thenarrator’sillusionsaregraduallydestroyedthroughhisexperiencesasastudentatcollege,asaworkerattheLibertyPaintsplant,andasamemberofapoliticalorganizationknownastheBrotherhood.Sheddinghisblindness,hestrugglestoarriveataconceptionofhisidentitythathonorshiscomplexityasanindividualwithoutsacrificingsocialresponsibility.Thenarratorremainsavoiceandneveremergesasanexternalandquantifiablepresence.Thisobscurityemphasizeshisstatusasan“invisibleman.”Formuchofthestory,thenarratorremainsextremelyinnocentandinexperienced.Heispronetothinkthebestofpeopleevenwhenhehasreasonnotto,andheremainsconsistentlyrespectfulofauthority.Ellisonusesheavyironytoallowthereadertoseethingsthatthenarratormisses.Afterthe“battleroyal”inChapter1,forinstance,thenarratoracceptshisscholarshipfromthebrutishwhitemenwithgladnessandgratitude.Althoughhepassesnojudgmentonthewhitemen’sbehavior,themen’sactionsprovideenoughevidenceforthereadertodenouncethemenasappallingracists.Whilethenarratorcanbesomewhatunreliableinthisregard,Ellisonmakessurethatthereaderperceivesthenarrator’sblindness.Further,becausethenarratorsupposedlywriteshisstoryasamemoirandnotwhileitistakingplace,healsocomestorecognizehisformerblindness.Asaresult,justasadivisionexistsbetweenEllisonandthenarrator,adivisionarisesbetweenthenarratorasanarratorandthenarratorasacharacter.Ellisonrendersthenarrator’svoiceasthatofamanlookingbackonhisexperienceswithgreaterperspective,butheensuresthatthereaderseesintothemindofthestill-innocentcharacter.Hedoessobyhavingthenarratorrecallhowheperceivedofeventswhentheyhappenedratherthanoffercommentaryontheseeventswiththebenefitofhindsight.Thenarrator’sinnocencepreventshimfromrecognizingthetruthbehindothers’errantbehaviorandleadshimtotrytofulfilltheirmisguidedexpectations.HeremainsextremelyvulnerabletotheidentitythatsocietythrustsuponhimasanAfricanAmerican.HeplaystheroleoftheservileblackmantothewhitemeninChapter1;heplaystheindustrious,uncomplainingdiscipleofBookerT.Washingtonduringhiscollegeyears;heagreestoactastheBrotherhood’sblackspokesperson,whichallowstheBrotherhoodtousehim.Butthenarratoralsoprovesveryintelligentanddeeplyintrospective,andasaresult,heisabletorealizetheextenttowhichhissocialroleslimithimfromdiscoveringhisindividualidentity.Hegraduallyassumesamaskofinvisibilityinordertorebelagainstthislimitation.Finally,inChapter25,heretreatsunderground.Yet,intheactoftellinghisstory,thenarratorcomestorealizethedangerofinvisibility:whileitpreemptsothers’attemptstodefinehim,italsopreemptshisownattemptstodefineandexpresshimself.Heconcludeshisstorydeterminedtohonorhisowncomplexityratherthansubdueitintheinterestofagrouporideology.Thoughmostofthenarrator’sdifficultiesarisefromthefactthatheisblack,Ellisonrepeatedlyemphasizedhisintenttorenderthenarratorasauniversalcharacter,arepresentationofthestruggletodefineoneselfagainstsocietalexpectations.ThemesRacismasanObstacletoIndividualIdentity

AsthenarratorofInvisibleManstrugglestoarriveataconceptionofhisownidentity,hefindshiseffortscomplicatedbythefactthatheisablackmanlivinginaracistAmericansociety.Throughoutthenovel,thenarratorfindshimselfpassingthroughaseriesofcommunities,fromtheLibertyPaintsplanttotheBrotherhood,witheachmicrocosmendorsingadifferentideaofhowblacksshouldbehaveinsociety.Asthenarratorattemptstodefinehimselfthroughthevaluesandexpectationsimposedonhim,hefindsthat,ineachcase,theprescribedrolelimitshiscomplexityasanindividualandforceshimtoplayaninauthenticpart.Ultimately,thenarratorrealizesthattheracialprejudiceofotherscausesthemtoseehimonlyastheywanttoseehim,andtheirlimitationsofvisioninturnplacelimitationsonhisabilitytoact.Heconcludesthatheisinvisible,inthesensethattheworldisfilledwithblindpeoplewhocannotorwillnotseehisrealnature.Correspondingly,heremainsunabletoactaccordingtohisownpersonalityandbecomesliterallyunabletobehimself.Althoughthenarratorinitiallyembraceshisinvisibilityinanattempttothrowoffthelimitingnatureofstereotype,intheendhefindsthistactictoopassive.Hedeterminestoemergefromhisunderground“hibernation,”tomakehisowncontributionstosocietyasacomplexindividual.Hewillattempttoexerthispowerontheworldoutsideofsociety’ssystemofprescribedroles.Bymakingproactivecontributionstosociety,hewillforceotherstoacknowledgehim,toacknowledgetheexistenceofbeliefsandbehaviorsoutsideoftheirprejudicedexpectations.TheLimitationsofIdeology

Overthecourseofthenovel,thenarratorrealizesthatthecomplexityofhisinnerselfislimitednotonlybypeople’sracismbutalsobytheirmoregeneralideologies.Hefindsthattheideologiesadvancedbyinstitutionsprovetoosimplisticandone-dimensionaltoservesomethingascomplexandmultidimensionalashumanidentity.Thenovelimpliesthatlifeistoorich,toovarious,andtoounpredictabletobeboundupneatlyinanideology;likejazz,ofwhichthenarratorisparticularlyfond,lifereachestheheightsofitsbeautyduringmomentsofimprovisationandsurprise.TheDangerofFightingStereotypewithStereotypeThenarratorisnottheonlyAfricanAmericaninthebooktohavefeltthelimitationsofraciststereotyping.Whilehetriestoescapethegripofprejudiceonanindividuallevel,heencountersotherblackswhoattempttoprescribeadefensestrategyforallAfricanAmericans.EachpresentsatheoryofthesupposedrightwaytobeblackinAmericaandtriestooutlinehowblacksshouldactinaccordancewiththistheory.Theespousersofthesetheoriesbelievethatanyonewhoactscontrarytotheirprescriptionseffectivelybetraystherace.Ultimately,however,thenarratorfindsthatsuchprescriptionsonlycounterstereotypewithstereotypeandreplaceonelimitingrolewithanother.InvisibilityBecausehehasdecidedthattheworldisfullofblindmenandsleepwalkerswhocannotseehimforwhatheis,thenarratordescribeshimselfasan“invisibleman.”Themotifofinvisibilitypervadesthenovel,oftenmanifestingitselfhandinhandwiththemotifofblindness—onepersonbecomesinvisiblebecauseanotherisblind.Whilethenovelalmostalwaysportraysblindnessinanegativelight,ittreatsinvisibilitymuchmoreambiguously.Invisibilitycanbringdisempowerment,butitcanalsobringfreedomandmobility.Indeed,itisthefreedomthenarratorderivesfromhisanonymitythatenableshimtotellhisstory.

Chapter1SummaryThenarratorspeaksofhisgrandparents,freedslaveswho,aftertheCivilWar,believedthattheywereseparatebutequal—thattheyhadachievedequalitywithwhitesdespitesegregation.Thenarrator’sgrandfatherlivedameekandquietlifeafterbeingfreed.Onhisdeathbed,however,hespokebitterlytothenarrator’sfather,comparingthelivesofblackAmericanstowarfareandnotingthathehimselffeltlikeatraitor.Hecounseledthenarrator’sfathertounderminethewhiteswith“yeses”and“grins”andadvisedhisfamilyto“agree’emtodeathanddestruction.”Nowthenarratortoolivesmeekly;hetooreceivespraisefromthewhitemembersofhistown.Hisgrandfather’swordshaunthim,fortheoldmandeemedsuchmeeknesstobetreachery.Thenarratorrecallsdeliveringtheclassspeechathishighschoolgraduation.ThespeechurgeshumilityandsubmissionaskeytotheadvancementofblackAmericans.Itprovessuchasuccessthatthetownarrangestohavehimdeliveritatagatheringofthecommunity’sleadingwhitecitizens.Thenarratorarrivesandreceivesinstructionstotakepartinthe“battleroyal”thatfiguresaspartoftheevening’sentertainment.Thenarratorandsomeofhisclassmates(whoareblack)donboxingglovesandenterthering.Anaked,blonde,whitewomanwithanAmericanflagpaintedonherstomachparadesabout;someofthewhitemendemandthattheblackboyslookatherandothersthreatenthemiftheydon’t.Thewhitementhenblindfoldtheyouthsandorderthemtopummeloneanotherviciously.Thenarratorsuffersdefeatinthelastround.Afterthemenhaveremovedtheblindfolds,theyleadthecontestantstoarugcoveredwithcoinsandafewcrumpledbills.Theboyslungeforthemoney,onlytodiscoverthatanelectriccurrentrunsthroughtherug.Duringthemadscramble,thewhitemenattempttoforcetheboystofallfaceforwardontotherug.Whenitcomestimeforthenarratortogivehisspeech,thewhitemenalllaughandignorehimashequoteslargesectionsofBookerT.Washington’sAtlantaExpositionAddress.Amidtheamused,drunkenrequeststhatherepeatthephrase“socialresponsibility,”thenarratoraccidentallysays“socialequality.”Thewhitemenangrilydemandthatheexplainhimself.Herespondsthathemadeamistake,andfinisheshisspeechtouproariousapplause.Themenawardhimacalfskinbriefcaseandinstructhimtocherishit,tellinghimthatonedayitscontentswillhelpdeterminethefateofhispeople.Inside,tohisutterjoy,thenarratorfindsascholarshiptothestatecollegeforblackyouth.Hishappinessdoesn’tdiminishwhenhelaterdiscoversthatthegoldcoinsfromtheelectrifiedrugareactuallyworthlessbrasstokens.Thatnight,