Identity in Invisible Man

One of the key themes in Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is identity. Acting may be a way of gaining power over oppression by taking an art form that is generally based in strict role playing and turning it into a form individual expression. While most types of acting have to do with conforming to certain roles, African culture emphasizes improvisation and the freedom of choice. Ellison stresses that in order for the true self to be created the socially constructed self must be destroyed. When the Invisible Man is giving his speeches, even though they are always influenced by his oppressors in his current situation, the unique way he orates his speeches allows him to take the first step on his journey towards a new identity by taking a tool used for oppression and turning it into a tool for self-expression. Most of the environments in the novel are controlled in the same way his speeches are, by the values, beliefs, and ideologies of society. When he is at the university and the Brotherhood, he becomes trapped in an environment that is detrimental towards his search for self-identity, due to the fact that these environments place a pre-constructed self on him instead of allowing him to create his identity. Although Clifton left the Brotherhood in pursuit of his own identity, he was unable to create an identity of his own. When Tod confronts the stereotypes that are placed on him he allows them to gain power over him and is unable to construct his own identity. “It was Clifton, riding easily back and forth in his knees, flexing his legs without shifting his feet, his right shoulder raised at an angle and his arm pointing stiffly at the bouncing doll as he spieled from the corner of his mouth” (Ellison 433). Clifton has himself become the stereotype instead of forming a new identity. Seeing this causes the Invisible Man to become upset due to the fact that Tod was a projection of his desire for his own identity and upon seeing this realizes this could be his fate. At the end of the novel the Invisible Man follows the example that Tod left by going underground and becoming invisible, a necessary step to creating an identity. This act of going underground allows him to subvert the society above him and create an environment that is free from the social constructs of society. When the Invisible Man enters the dark hole at the end of the novel he brings out the symbols from the briefcase that he deemed important from his life. By burning the papers he is destroying the roles that had been placed on him by others and allows the chance for him to form his own identity. An identity is something that a person must make for themselves in order to assert their place in the world around them. By making an identity they are allowing themselves the opportunity to think for themselves and do what they believe should actually be done.

 

Allusions in Invisible Man

There are many allusions that are present in Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. One such allusion is the Brer Rabbit. After receiving electro-shock therapy, the narrator was asked “Who was Buckeye the Rabbit?” (Ellison 241) and “Who was Brer Rabbit?” (242). After realizing that the boy did not know anything about himself, the doctor asked him who this character was because he originated from African culture and it was assumed that anyone who was black knew who this character was. The Brer Rabbit stories can be traced back to West Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa as the hare figure was featured prominently in the story telling traditions of these areas as the trickster character. The trickster character is a character in African story telling traditions usually succeeded by his brains rather than his brawns, messing with social norms and authority figures as he deemed necessary. Another allusion that is present in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is Booker T. Washington. Booker T. Washington was part of the last generation of African Americans that was born into slavery in the U.S. and became one of the leading voices of the former slaves and their descendants. He was a proponent for the advancement of the black educational system and economic advancement in the black community. He wanted the former slaves and their descendants to avoid fighting over segregation and the Jim Crow Laws. He believed that before civil rights could be made equal between races that first the African American community had to grow educationally and economically. Through various rallies and speeches he was able to move a collaboration of middle-class blacks, white philanthropists, politicians, and church leaders nationwide in order to strengthen the community economically and educationally through self-help and schooling. He was able to master the political arena of his time which allowed him to manipulate the media, strategize, network, pressure and raise money while keeping his enemies down. This is not unlike the brotherhood in the novel. The brotherhood made use of rallies and speeches in order to gain allies to their cause and bring issues to light. Another of the many allusions that is present in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man are Homer and the Odyssey. When he is in the church hearing the sermon that the narrator realizes “It was when he raised his head that I saw it. For a swift instant, between the gesture and the glitter of his glasses, I saw the blinking of sightless eyes. Homer A. Barbee was blind.” (133). The theme of blindness is prevalent across the whole novel and is very important to understanding the book as a whole. The name Homer refers to the ancient Greek epic poet and the name means he who is forced to follow or blind. Throughout the novel blindness is used to show how people can rallied up and fighting for a cause but don’t truly understand what they are fighting for as they have been blinded by the truth by those above them. In The Odyssey Odysseus meets up with a Cyclops who wanted to eat him and his crew. In order to avoid that fate they end up blinding him so that they can escape unharmed. The Cyclops was originally able to perceive the world around him but do to the actions of those around him was left blind and unable to discern things for himself. This represents most of the characters in the novel. Originally they believe that they are able to see what they stand for and what they are fighting for but as time moves on the ones in charge slowly blind them to what is truly happening in the world around them.