Battle Royal
Battle Royal
Battle Royal by Ralph Ellison follows the life of a young African-American who looks up to his grandfather although his grandfather describes himself as a "traitor to his people". The narrator contemplates this idea that his grandfather expresses, and when he is called to give a speech to a group of upper-class white folks, he is persuaded to fight a group of kids of the same age. He is defeated in the fight, yet he goes on to make his speech in front of the crowd. His persistence to give his speech in front of people after he lost in a fight conveys Ellison's expression of appointing identity to his main character. From reading this story, I sensed a major theme of representing one’s self as an individual opposed to giving into what society wants you to do. This idea is apparent in the personality of the narrator along with the stripper who attends the battle royal. She is too a victim of lacking an identity to voice her own opinion. Ellison’s in-depth descriptions of his characters make this story a truly authentic source of understanding one minority’s struggles through a time of discrimination and inability to establish identity.
I felt a connection through these images. It illustrated the immense courage and strength one needs to have to gain self-respect and dignity, especially in the torrents of hate and segregation. It is easier to obey what is told, but ultimately by not accepting oneself, it become a self-defeating action. It is in this way anybody can relate to the message, even if times and ideals have changed. There is always hate in the world and its how we deal with this hate that defines us as people. Do we accept injustice or do we fight for equality and all that is right? We all enter the ring at some point.
Battle Royal by Ralph Ellison follows the life of a young African-American who looks up to his grandfather although his grandfather describes himself as a "traitor to his people". The narrator contemplates this idea that his grandfather expresses, and when he is called to give a speech to a group of upper-class white folks, he is persuaded to fight a group of kids of the same age. He is defeated in the fight, yet he goes on to make his speech in front of the crowd. His persistence to give his speech in front of people after he lost in a fight conveys Ellison's expression of appointing identity to his main character. From reading this story, I sensed a major theme of representing one’s self as an individual opposed to giving into what society wants you to do. This idea is apparent in the personality of the narrator along with the stripper who attends the battle royal. She is too a victim of lacking an identity to voice her own opinion. Ellison’s in-depth descriptions of his characters make this story a truly authentic source of understanding one minority’s struggles through a time of discrimination and inability to establish identity.
I felt a connection through these images. It illustrated the immense courage and strength one needs to have to gain self-respect and dignity, especially in the torrents of hate and segregation. It is easier to obey what is told, but ultimately by not accepting oneself, it become a self-defeating action. It is in this way anybody can relate to the message, even if times and ideals have changed. There is always hate in the world and its how we deal with this hate that defines us as people. Do we accept injustice or do we fight for equality and all that is right? We all enter the ring at some point.