The Invisible Man

1. Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison is about an African American  man (the narrator) who perceives himself to be invisible. During this time the narrator reflects on his past explaining why he is underground. We first find out that the narrator is living in the beginning of the Great Depression, where segregation is still eminent. At first the narrator is going to college, but soon gets expelled for showing a white trustee the wrong way African Americans are suppose to live their lives. After being expelled he goes to Harlem New York where he meets Mr. Emerson, one of the trustee's son. Mr. Emerson helps find him a job for a paint company. While on the job he passes out and losses his memory. This resulted in having electroshock therapy to help him regain is memory. Shortly after, he is offered to be a spokesmen for the Brother hood, a club that helps the oppressed. The Brother hood then moves him into an apartment and puts him in charge of all the brother hoods interest. In Response to moving up the chain pretty fast he receives a racist letter that tells him to remember his place. After he is soon moved to the Women's Rights organization branch. He then gets in trouble from the brotherhood for not asking permission to hold a funeral. Having found this out the narrator also figures out the brotherhoods intentions to beat him up. He runs and escapes the people sent to beat him up. As he is returning into Harlem he comes upon a riot. An anti brother hood member wants to hang the narrator. As the narrator is running yet again he falls down a manhole (where he is now). The narrator then tells the read of how he is ready to come out of the man hole and face his fear.

2. The theme of "Invisible Man" is don't ever be the person people expect you to be.


3. The tone of the book is anger, a sense of hopelessness, and depression. Some examples of this would be...
"I felt his flesh tear and the blood gush out, and I yelled Apologize! Apologize!"
" Without light I am not only invisible, but formless as well; and to be unaware of one's form is to live a death. I myself, after existing some twenty years, did not become alive until I discovered my invisibility."
"I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I could answer."

4. Symbols - The Sambo Doll, represents the stereotypes of African American.
    Chiasmus - “The truth is the light and the light is the truth.” 
    Metaphor - "Live with your head in the lion's mouth." another "I almost wet my pants."
   Point of View - We only see things through the narrators perspective. First Person.
   Characterization - "Her breasts were firm and round as the domes of East Indian temples, and I stood so close as to see the fine skin texture and beads of pearly perspiration glistening like the dew around the pink and erected buds of her nipples."