Individual Identity In Ralph Ellison's The Invisible Man

The novel “The Invisible Man” was written by Ralph Ellison. The novel takes place in the American

south; Harlem New York during the late 1920s or early 1930s. Ralph Ellison uses time to change the ideas

in the novel from inherently pro-communism to anti-communism. The setting is critical to the story

because it shows a difference from back when racism was a very big thing to the present where race is

now equal. The novel sets a tone of frank and thoughtful. Racism as an obstacle to individual identity is the

theme.

The narrator is the protagonist. The narrator was very naïve because once he moved to New York

racism was different from being in the south. The narrator is a static character because he refuses to

change himself. In the

We never learn his name, but this is his show—the novel chronicles his path to

realizing his invisibility.

Back then black people were “invisible”. We were basically nothing in the eyes of whites. All of it was

kind of true so there isn’t anything unrealistic. If I could change one thing it would be him trying to prove

himself to people because you don’t have to prove yourself to anybody but God. I am not ashamed of

my grandparents for having been slaves. I am only ashamed of myself for having at one time been

ashamed. About eighty-five years ago, they were told that they were free, united with others of our

country in everything pertaining to the common good, and, in everything social, separate from the

fingers of the hand. And they believed it. They exulted in it. They stayed in their place, worked hard, and

brought up my father to do the same. (1.2) The narrator recounts that freed slaves were told they were

free in all ways, although this clearly was not true. Socially, after freedom from slavery, black people

were kept very separate from the rest of society. Sadly, the narrator's grandparents bought into the

promise of true freedom wholesale. I would definitely recommend this book because its teaches