Invisible_Man

Invisible Man Invisible Man Introduction Invisible Man, written in 1952 by Ralph Ellison, documents a young black man's struggle to find identity in an inequitable and manipulative society. During the course of this struggle, he learns many valuable lessons, both about society and himself, through his experiences. Short Plot/Character Analysis/Themes The story begins with the narrator recounting his memories of his grandfather. The most remarkable, and eventually the most haunting, of these is his memory of his grandfather's last words in which he claims to have been a traitor to his own people and urges his son to "overcome 'em with yeses, undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to death and destruction, let 'em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open." These words remain imprinted in the narrator's mind throughout the book, although he never fully understands their meaning. His grandfather's words eventually serve as catalyst for his subsequent disillusionments, the first of which occurs directly after he graduates from high school. At this time, the narrator is invited to give a speech at a gathering of the town's leading white citizens. The speech he is planning to give expresses the view that humility is the essence of progress. Subconsciously, narrator, speech, new, brotherhood, people, norton, mr, power, about, own, first, bledsoe, being, tells, one, dr, college, black, organization, narrator's, eventually, discovers, decides, been, true, later, jack, however, harlem, gives, finds, finally, becomes, words, while, tries