The Invisible Man: Written by Ralph Ellison
Release Date: February 1st, 1995 (My copy of the novel)/First published in 1952
Publisher: Vintage
Format of Novel: Paper back
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary (from good reads): First published in 1952 and immediately hailed as a masterpiece, Invisible Man is one of those rare novels that have changed the shape of American literature. For not only does Ralph Ellison's nightmare journey across the racial divide tell unparalleled truths about the nature of bigotry and its effects on the minds of both victims and perpetrators, it gives us an entirely new model of what a novel can be.
As he journeys from the Deep South to the streets and basements of Harlem, from a horrifying "battle royal" where black men are reduced to fighting animals, to a Communist rally where they are elevated to the status of trophies, Ralph Ellison's nameless protagonist ushers readers into a parallel universe that throws our own into harsh and even hilarious relief. Suspenseful and sardonic, narrated in a voice that takes in the symphonic range of the American language, black and white, Invisible Man is one of the most audacious and dazzling novels of our century.
As he journeys from the Deep South to the streets and basements of Harlem, from a horrifying "battle royal" where black men are reduced to fighting animals, to a Communist rally where they are elevated to the status of trophies, Ralph Ellison's nameless protagonist ushers readers into a parallel universe that throws our own into harsh and even hilarious relief. Suspenseful and sardonic, narrated in a voice that takes in the symphonic range of the American language, black and white, Invisible Man is one of the most audacious and dazzling novels of our century.
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"I am an Invisible Man."- Ralph Ellison. One of the greatest quotes I've read in the history of my reading life. When this novel was assigned in my African-American literature course, I didn't research this like I would with other books. I took it in and was impacted with large amounts of awes. The book was a hitter, especially with the beginning sentence. It made my heart jump from happy to sad, to bittersweet to nodding my head in bracing the learning about the struggles African Americans had to deal with during the fifties and sixties, including dealing with riots against those that hated them to no end.
The book is told in the first person point of view where the protagonist learned about his old school transferring him into New York City, a place he didn't know much about after racial events. But, given that the boy was naïve, he goes along with it and struggles to no end. One of the important scenes I ended up clutching my heart for the kid was he gotten himself stuck in the riots after being recruited into a gang. It was that pivotal point where we see him snapped emotionally and mentally, getting that he's dealing with racism and that he was truly invisible to the world and the people that 'taught' him the ropes of the city.
What really sparked my love for this book was how we don't get to know the protagonist's name throughout the entire book. I felt as so I was a part of this story or taking on the role of the protagonist taking on this crazy journey. Ellison truly did a fantastic job in his writing and revealing the truth to the eyes of the readers.
Overall, This was literally one of the best books I've read in 2014. I'm so glad that my professor made us read this book. It was the best one we'd read because it felt so personal and the imagery was heartbreaking and the cast of characters were powerful. I really wish I picked this book up sooner, but my school never really showed it to us so I was naïve till I walked into my course in college. This book is a powerful read and I highly want people to read it if they want to understand things like racism and the transitions of adulthood.
The book is told in the first person point of view where the protagonist learned about his old school transferring him into New York City, a place he didn't know much about after racial events. But, given that the boy was naïve, he goes along with it and struggles to no end. One of the important scenes I ended up clutching my heart for the kid was he gotten himself stuck in the riots after being recruited into a gang. It was that pivotal point where we see him snapped emotionally and mentally, getting that he's dealing with racism and that he was truly invisible to the world and the people that 'taught' him the ropes of the city.
What really sparked my love for this book was how we don't get to know the protagonist's name throughout the entire book. I felt as so I was a part of this story or taking on the role of the protagonist taking on this crazy journey. Ellison truly did a fantastic job in his writing and revealing the truth to the eyes of the readers.
Overall, This was literally one of the best books I've read in 2014. I'm so glad that my professor made us read this book. It was the best one we'd read because it felt so personal and the imagery was heartbreaking and the cast of characters were powerful. I really wish I picked this book up sooner, but my school never really showed it to us so I was naïve till I walked into my course in college. This book is a powerful read and I highly want people to read it if they want to understand things like racism and the transitions of adulthood.
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