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Invisible ManRalph Ellison
FOLK 195March 4, 2003Jean Ferguson
Invisible Man
O What does it mean to be unseen?O “I am an invisible
man…”
Invisible Man: Overview
Invisible Man: Ralph Ellison
O Born March 1, 1914 in Oklahoma City, OK (named after Ralph Waldo Emerson)
O Father died in 1917 resulted in economic struggleO Mother active in socialist politicsO Attended college at the Tuskegee Institute to
study MusicO Moved to Harlem in New York City to study
sculpture and photographyO Took seven years to write
Invisible Man (1952)O Taught at Bard College,
Rutgers and NYUO Published other novelsO Died April 16, 1994
Invisible Man: Characters
O NarratorO GrandfatherO Dr. BledsoeO Mr. NortonO MaryO Brother JackO Tod CliftonO Ras, the Destroyer
Invisible Man: Structure
O Framed NarrativeO RetreatO Battle RoyalO CollegeO New YorkO HarlemO The BrotherhoodO Retreat
Invisible Man: Major ThemesO Invisibility/Blindness
O We choose not to see the ugly truths around usO Society ignores the oppressedO How we change perceptions of the self in society
O Identity/Black IdentityO Defining who you are through your relationships with othersO Who is my authentic self? (Self versus who we WANT to be)O Is this a universal search or is it specific to an African-American man in a
predominately Caucasian society?O Does failure lead us to truth?
O DualismO Being two seemingly contradictory things at once. O Being black in a white societyO Are we what is projected onto us?
O Existential Search for SelfO Realizing that you are responsible for your actions/reactions in a chaotic world
O OppressionO Society’s role in oppressing us allO The oppression of African-Americans
Invisible Man: MotifsO DreamsO SexO ViolenceO PaperO Vision (Physical seeing, Delusions, Illusions,
Reveries)O Oratory (The Power of Speaking)O MusicO FamilyO Power
Invisible ManO “What Did I Do to Be So Black and Blue”
Louis ArmstrongO Cold empty bed...springs hurt my head
Feels like ole ned...wished i was deadWhat did i do...to be so black and blue
Even the mouse...ran from my houseThey laugh at you...and all that you doWhat did i do...to be so black and blue
I'm white...inside...but, that don't help my caseThat's life...can't hide...what is in my face
How would it end...ain't got a friendMy only sin...is in my skinWhat did i do...to be so black and blue
(instrumental break)
How would it end...i ain't got a friendMy only sin...is in my skinWhat did i do...to be so black and blue