Analysis of Invisible Man Essay -- Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison wrote the book Invisible Man in the summer of 1945, while on sick leave from the merchant Marines. Invisible Man is narrated in the first person by an unnamed African American who sees himself as invisible to society. This character is perceived and may be inspired by Ellison himself. Ellison manages to develop a strong philosophy through this character and portrays his struggle to search for his identity. He uses metaphors throughout the book of his invisibility and the blindness of others in which is a part of the examination of the effects of racism. The development of this unnamed Afro-American character helps set the foundation on the philosophy of understanding who he is. The narrator undergoes experiences such as the battle royal, the Tuskegee Institute, the Trueblood visit, and the blueprint seller in which is full of corruption and deceit. In the prologue, the narrator introduces himself as an Invisible Man. He lives in a basement of an apartment building that only allows white tenants. He describes how he steals electricity from the Monopolated Light a...