Analysis Of The Prologue Of Ralph Ellison s Invisible Man

In the prologue of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, the unnamed narrator says that he is invisible, for he is not actually seen—or rather recognized—for his true self but through the imaginations of others’ minds. As surreal as his life under this â€Å"invisibility† and, literally, the ground is, the Invisible Man convinces with vivid details and emphatic diction. But the passage detailing his hallucination seems out of place, as it has far more ambiguous language and moral. However, his hallucination, the pilgrimage into the â€Å"underworld of sound†, shouldn’t be discredited as merely a drug-induced episode, but a reflection of himself, revealing of his hidden character, one that’s likewise ambivalent and confused (Ellison 8). The dichotomy†¦show more content†¦an’ black won’t†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ‘Naw, it won’t!’† (Ellison 7). The content of the sermon is omitted by the ellipses, and the parallelism only seems self-contradictory. A casual reader might dismiss this section as one that has little meaning or relation to the Invisible Man’s character since the ambiguous language here has little resemblance to his clear, decisive voice earlier, and he is, after all, a passive observer within. Indeed, even the italicization seems to suggest a certain degree of detachment of this story from the rest. But that would be an oversight—the passage is closely connected to the narrator’s (hidden) identity. Among others, the use of dialect, with words like â€Å"git† and â€Å"naw†, grounds this dialogue firmly in the Invisible Man’s ethnic background. The analysis on sound vs. sight (which will be deferred for now) also supports such connection. Hence, this â€Å"underworld of sound† can be viewed as indicative of the Invisible Man—they are the voices in his head. The hallucination reveals the narrator’s hidden insecurity, in contrast to his projected confidence. Ambiguity not only of style but of value is predominant in the dream. The old woman says she both loved and hated her master and even poisoned him in an act of mercy. With that, the lines between love and hate, good and evil are blurred. In regard to freedom, a central concept in the (African) American conscious, she says, â€Å"I done forgot, son. It’s all mixed up. First I think it’s one thing, then I think it’sShow MoreRelatedInvisible Man11097 Words   |  45 Pageshyperbolic nature of Goethe s statement, it holds some truth. Because of this element of truth, society looks to psychoanalysis as an important tool for understanding human nature. Furthermore, psychoanalytic criticism of authors, characters, and readers has a place in literary criticism that is as important as the place of psychoanalysis in society. This is because of the mimetic nature of much of modern literature. In fact, the psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan wrote, If psycho-analysis is to be constitutedRead MoreRalf Ellisons The Invisible Man Essay1927 Words   |  8 PagesAt the time the Invisible Man was published segregation was in full force in many parts of America, making certain scenes of the novel obscene and outlandish (Holland 34). To his peers Ellison was a thinker as well as writer he had the capability of repairing automobiles and electronic devices; â€Å"He had a particular passion for high quality audio equipment, and found a hobby in building and customizing stereo systems.† (LitCharts 3) After writing the Invisible Man Ellison found it to be an arduousRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesnovel is sometimes used interchangeably with Bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical. The birth of the Bildungsroman is normally dated to the publication of Wilhelm Meister s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1795–96,[8] or, sometimes, to Christoph Martin Wieland s Geschichte des Agathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated Goethe’s novel