The Invisible Man Essay, Research Paper
The novel, Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison explores the issue of life,
autonomy, and the chase of felicity through the chief character. In
the novel, Invisible Man, the chief character is non giving a name. In
our paper we will mention to him as the Protagonist. Ellison explores
how inalienable rights can non be obtained without freedom from the
obstructions in life particularly from one & # 8217 ; s ain frights. In the novel
Invisible Man, several major characters affect the Protagonist. One of
the major characters is Dr. Bledsoe, who is the president of the
school. Dr. Bledsoe had a major consequence on the chief character, because
the Protagonist idolizes him. & # 8220 ; He was every thing that I hope to be, & # 8221 ;
( Ellison 99 ) , but the Dr. Bledsoe degrades him when we says & # 8220 ; Why, the
dumbest black asshole in the cotton spot knows that the lone manner to
delight a white adult male is to state him a prevarication & # 8221 ; ( Emerson 137 ) and calls him a
Nigger. In add-on, the Protagonist gramps had a major consequence on
him. The! Protagonist & # 8217 ; s grandfather last word, & # 8220 ; Live in the Lions
oral cavity & # 8221 ; ( Ellison 16 ) has a permanent consequence on him throughout most of the
novel. Finally and most of import, Ras the Destroyer, whom the
Supporter frights whom along with Dr. Bledsoe in a separate
meeting calls him & # 8220 ; a educated sap & # 8221 ; ( Ellison 140 ) . The first
brush of the Protagonist ain frights is introduce when his
gramps & # 8217 ; s tells the Supporter to travel against the white adult male by
& # 8220 ; overcome & # 8216 ; em with yeses & # 8221 ; ( Emerson 16 ) . These words haunts the
Supporter when he is kicked out acquiring kicked out of college. When
Dr. Bledsoe kicks him out of college, the Protagonist reflects on his
gramps last words & # 8220 ; undermine & # 8216 ; em with smiles, agree & # 8216 ; mutton quad to
death^ & # 8221 ; ( Emerson 16 ) . For a minute, the Supporter admirations if his
gramps might be right. However, due to the Protagonist fright of
failure, the Protagonist doubts his gramps wise words, because he
does non desire to believe that his function in life is to sabotage the
white adult male. So, the Protagonist convinces himself that the Dr. Bledsoe
and the school is right and goes to New York. The 2nd brush, in
which the Supporter reveals his fright and non being accepted, is in
the Battle Royal. The Battle Royal is a boxing lucifer affecting nine
other African American male childs who have to contend until the last adult male is
standing. The supporter endures this degrading act as gambit, so that
he can be able to read his address, in the hope of affecting the elite
white work forces of the town. The Protagonist fright of non being looked upon
as an uneducated cause him to be the topic of a barbarous whipping, which
knocks him out and agonizing electrical shocking. In add-on, the
Protagonist fright of non being credence is his denial of being a
& # 8220 ; Negro & # 8221 ; . The Protagonist brush with Dr. Bledsoe exemplifies his
denial. The
Supporter looks up to Dr. Bledsoe as a theoretical account of what he
wants to be. However, when Dr. Bledsoe called the Protagonist an
& # 8220 ; educated sap & # 8221 ; ( Ellison 140 ) and an Nigger ; the Protagonist ignores it
because of his denial of being a Nigger, but under normal fortunes
a individual would acquire angry and disquieted. Dr. Bledsoe name is besides a drama on
word, because when he calls the Protagonist a Nigger, he bleeds his
people so. Dr. Bledsoe hemorrhage of the Supporter shows his neglect
for his ain people. The Protagonist frights of non being accepted is
besides apparent when he continues to believe that he would acquire back into
the college even after acquiring kicked out. The 3rd state of affairs that
the Protagonist brushs is with Ras the Destroyer. Ras character is
one of a entire antonym of the Protagonist. Ras & # 8217 ; s end is the
devastation of the white adult male. As the Protagonist, enter a brotherhood
of both white and black people, he finds himself at odds with Ras, who
garbages to hold a brotherhood with white people. Although the
supporter is able to avoid any existent struggles with Ras, he is called
an & # 8220 ; educated sap & # 8221 ; ( Ellison 292 ) one time once more this clip by Ras, when the
Supporter comes to the assistance of his friend Clifton. The Supporter
holds his instruction in high regard and is in a complete province of daze,
by being called a & # 8220 ; educated sap & # 8221 ; one time once more. However, the greatest
impact that Ras has on the Supporter is at the terminal of the Novel.
This occurs when the Protagonist is attacked by Ras. The Supporter
calls out that & # 8220 ; They want this to go on & # 8221 ; . The Supporter refers this
statement to the brotherhood, which is non a brotherhood at all!
But it is excessively late. Ras is purpose on killing the Protagonist. When
the Protagonist eventually escapes, the Protagonist is despairing and wants
to conceal. In the terminal, this leads him to a hole where the Supporter
feels that he is unseeable, which we find him in the beginning. To
conclude, the Protagonist realized even being underground off from
society, his head would non allow him rest. He states that & # 8220 ; I & # 8217 ; m an
unseeable adult male and it placed me in a hole- or showed me the hole I was
in^. & # 8221 ; ( Ellison Epilogue ) . This is an effectual metaphor, because that
is where life left him. As stated by a German Philosopher, Friedrich
Nietzsche, & # 8220 ; A serpent that does non cast its tegument will die & # 8221 ; . The
Supporter realized he must cast his metaphorical tegument of fright and
denial of being a Negro in order to obtain his inalienable which are
rights of life, autonomy, and the chase of felicity. The freedom he
obtains through casting his tegument is that he knows he is free to be
himself without fearing non being accepted.
Bibliography
1.Ellison, Ralph. The Invisible Man. New York, Vintage Books
2.Latu, Susan. School Web Site. 1998. Phillips,
3.Elizabeth C. & # 8220 ; Monarch Notes & # 8221 ; Ralph Ellison Invisible Man. New York, Monarch