juanp24

It goes a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. The plot of Invisible Man revolves around a young black man making his way in post World War II America. It is a world of racism and a world of change and new ideas. At the outset of the novel, the narrator gives a speech to a group of white men, extolling the virtue of humility. He is awarded a scholarship to a black college as a result of the speech, but first he must take part in a “battle royale” against several of his fellow classmates. Ellison continues to interject seemingly unbelievable situations and symbolism through the book. If I had to rate this book on enjoyability, I’d probably only give it two stars. While it certainly isn’t difficult to read, an entertaining story and sympathetic characters were not high on Ellison’s agenda. On the other hand, the author’s message of identity manipulation by both the white and the black characters in the book, is profound. The rich symbolism of color, sight, light, the briefcase (aka the past and the narrator’s hopes), the “sambo” dolls (with strings attached) directs the reader to truths about bigotry. If I had to rate this book on a literary/intellectual level, I’d have to give it five stars. I’ve been thinking about it since the first paragraph and will continue to ponder it long into the future. It’s no wonder it won the National Book Award and not surprising it’s taught in high schools and universities. In the end of the novel, the narrator explores the question of accepting the white man’s political ideology. Any race that has been subjugated in this country must ultimately face this question. The principles behind American political ideology are not racist, but many of the men that established them were. And over the years, there has been a huge display of hypocrisy between flag waving patriots, who also happened to be bigots. In Invisible Man, Ellison deftly shows that hypocrisy is not exclusive to white supremacists. In the end, the author resolves that the highest principle we can strive for is humanity itself. Invisible Man truly is a great and important novel; probably worthy of five stars, but I can only give it four and a half stars. It simply wasn’t enjoyable enough for me.

2022-11-14 14:13