Mr. Z And IM In Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

Chameleons, originating from the Reptilian class, are most commonly known for their distinct characteristic to blend into their surroundings as a camouflage. Mr. Z in M. Carl Holman’s poem of discrimination, “Mr. Z” and IM in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man both comprise the aforesaid phenomenon, utilizing camouflage as a survival tactic in their surrounding society. When first comparing Mr. Z to the speaker in Invisible Man, it is easily noticed that both the characters have an apparent burden originating from their ethnicity. The initial line that gives the audience a hint of Mr. Z’s African-American race says, “taught early that his mother’s skin was the sign of error” (Homan 1). Thus, the ‘error’ being that he was born as a man of color,
and that it is wrong or unacceptable to be African-American. Likewise, the speaker in Invisible Man relates himself to Louis Armstrong’s song, “Black and Blue.” In the epilogue, IM ascends from his deep hole, to a realization of hearing, “What did I do/to be so black/and blue?” After hearing the “familiar” music, IM suddenly is aware that “few really listen to this music” (Ellison 12). As IM reflects upon the curse of his skin with the jazz music of Armstrong, Mr. Z is too prudent to even listen to the native music of the south and “disclaimed kinship with jazz and spirituals” (Holman 4). Both characters try to blend in with the white race by suppressing culture they were born into.
Another example of suppressing their indigenous instinct is the food that is endemic to the south that one character ultimately disowns and the other only once binges on.
For instance, Mr. Z mentions the role that Anglo-Saxonism played in his diet. In line ten, Holman mentions, “Of pork in its profane forms he was wary/Expert in vintage wines, sauces, and salads/his palate shrank from cornbread, yams and collards.” The chameleon-like characteristic of blending in is apparent as Mr. Z gives into what is expected for the ‘white, intellectual type’ to eat, such as vintage wines and exquisite sauces, but denies the native comfort, soul food of yams and cornbread. IM, on the other hand, decides to devour yams on the streets of Harlem in chapter thirteen. Invisible Man differentiates from Mr. Z because IM feels the side effects of homesickness sinking in. He mentions, “…overcome by an intense feeling of freedom- simply because I was eating while walking along the street. It was exhilarating. I no longer had to worry about who saw me or about what was proper. To hell with all that, and as sweet as the yam actually was, it became like nectar with the thought” (Ellison 264). In this time of the novel, IM has given up fighting the image of the stereotypical black man in America’s conformist society. He goes on to confirm that others (black society) would be shocked to see him accepting his mien, but continues with, “…but to hell with being ashamed of what you liked. No more of that
for me” (Ellison 266). The difference between IM and Mr. Z lies in their acceptance or abnegation of their innate manner. As a theme in Invisible Man, knowing your place makes up a cardinal factor in the novel.
As Ellison was writing the story in the mid 1900’s, society was that of a conforming one, and suppressing minorities was prevalent. This society affected Ellison, and is extended through IM’s experiences. Similarly, Holman’s poem, “Mr. Z” also illustrates the effects of a conforming society, and imposes the African-American society to camouflage themselves with the whites, for the gratitude of acceptance. Mr. Z evinces the actuality of knowing his place by admitting he restricts his taste in food, women, and habitat to conform to what he believes is society’s expectations. In addition, IM also confronts many situations where he is forced into knowing his place, and acting in a defined manner accordingly. During the eviction in chapter thirteen, an elderly African-American couple is thrown out of their apartment after decades of living there. This couple, along with IM, is compelled to give into the marshal’s authority. IM noting, “…and thus we were careful not to touch or stare too hard at the effects that lined the curb, for we were witnesses of what we did not wish to see, though curious, fascinated, despite our shame” (Ellison 270). Even though this black community was being displaced, out of their home, IM still mentions an order that the community, as a whole, is a ‘law-abiding’ people. Ultimately, giving into what pleases the marshal’s, representing the white
coterie. When comparing Mr. Z to IM, they are both flawed characters placed into a conforming society in a time of hardship and stifling of individuality. Mr. Z, altogether, disowns his heritage to be credited in a white civilization. IM, on the other hand, allows himself to question his morale, and to apply his concealed individuality on the complex world outside of society’s ideology of established roles. Similarly, both characters engrossed the characteristic of the chameleon- camouflaging themselves into the white sodality in order to reach the idealistic stereotype in a forever stereotypical world.