Research Paper On The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man Essay When reading a good book, it causes the audience to really think about what is going on in the story. The readers feel the emotions of the characters and can relate it to other times in their life even if the novel was written centuries ago. Ralph Ellison’s book, “The Invisible Man”, does all of this and more as it gives the reader another perspective on racism and struggling with one’s identity. The author writes so incredibly that you feel as though you are walking through the experiences with the narrator himself. With so many lessons to be learned from this book, it is without a doubt one with literary merit. The novel takes the reader back to the times when African Americans were still treated differently due
to their race. The main character of “The Invisible Man” journeys to Harlem, New York after getting expelled from his college down South. He, like many other African Americans of that time, faces racial prejudice almost everywhere he goes. He falls into a pattern and does exactly what is expected of him, just like everyone else. This, being just like everyone else, causes him to slowly become invisible. Not being given a name for the entirety of the novel is just another way of symbolizing his invisibility. He at some point realizes how this has affected him and tries to identify more with himself. This can be seen when he is eating the yams on the street which reminds him of where he came from. Foster wrote a chapter in his book about how every meal is communion, and this could be a perfect example. As the end of the book nears, we see that he is slowly beginning to change into his true self. Because of Ellison’s use of colorful language and details in certain events, critics, parents, and other readers have said that “The Invisible Man” is not worthy of literary merit. Many different places including schools and libraries have banned the novel due to its content but truth be told, it is the best way to give the audience a glimpse into how life was when this book was written. It is especially important for its younger readers because racism still exists today and reading about how it has effected so many people for such a long time may help to educate them. “The Invisible Man” is a novel that will carry-on meaning for centuries to come because of its lessons having to do with racial prejudice and dealing with your own identity. Despite what some may think, those blind to how a book can effect a person or society, this novel is incredibly worthy of literary merit.