Battle Royale

BATTLE ROYALE "Battle Royal" by Ralph Ellison is the story of a young, African boy, who withstands humiliation to give a speech amongst the towns leading white citizens at an event called a "Battle Royal." The story escalates when the boy‘s grandfather’s dying words were that he was a traitor and a spy in enemy’s country. The tension rises when the boy is blindfolded and made to participate in a boxing match with his fellow classmates against his wish. The climax occurs when the fight gets over and the boy is finally allowed to give his graduation speech in front of the white people resulting in the resolution as he receives a scholarship and feels safe from his grandfather, whose dying words usually spoiled his triumphs. Ellison implies that the southern white people still had control over the African Americans even after they were freed of slavery. The story also suggests that gaining freedom does not necessarily mean gaining equality. The civil war had ended but the African American still suffered racism. The boy doesn’t feel ashamed that his grandparents were slaves but he feels ashamed of the time that he felt ashamed of it. He never understands the real meaning of his dying grandfather’s last words. He feels guilty and uncomfortable when things get better for him after remembering what his grandfather’s words were—“I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy's country ever since...”
He felt guilt when the white folks praised him for his conduct. The boy receives an invitation to a gathering of leading white people of the town to deliver his graduation speech. The whites enjoyed every bit of the humiliation they bestowed on him and his classmates. The harder they fought the more threatening the white men became. Even in that brutal fight the boy worries about his speech. He kept thinking if the speech will go well and if he will be