Dear Mr. Ellison,
Though your book Invisible Man was made years ago, the messages given off by it is still relatable today. One message still relevant is judgement of people based off of one individual of that race. Their are stereotypes in each race in today's society. However, the stereotypes are no longer the ones in your book. Black people are now seen as violent gangsters or ghetto, white people are seen as bland or unstable, and there are now stereotypes for others such as Arabians, and Chinese people. In your book you show that one bad action of and individual automatically makes their entire race or gender look bad through Jim Trueblood, and in today's society sadly that is still true.
Another message still relevant is inferiority of African Americans. Though we have made great progress, their is still many problems faced today. African Americans have to work harder to be seen as a serious business person. They also still have to cater to the wealthy white people. It is very easy for a black person to get a bad reputation because of the way they treat white people, their careers could be ended. Furthermore, black people can do more and still not get as much pay or attention as a white person would. I feel as though these problems are impossible to fix because they stem from past morals. Sometimes one must learn to accept things and do all they possibly can with the limitations received, which you also portray in your book through Mr. Bledsoe. I do thank you for making such a powerful book with powerful messages.
Sincerely,
Jim'Miya Wright
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Invisible Man Chapter 7
1. The vet uses a metaphor in order to tell the narrator to see things the way they really are; to see that he was not the a friend of the wealthy and high classed.
2. The vet is telling the narrator to control his own fate. He is telling him to make his own rules and decisions instead of letting others do it for him.
3. The narrator alludes to the story of Jonah in the bible. He feels as though coming to Harlem is him being thrown up from the belly of a whale.
2. The vet is telling the narrator to control his own fate. He is telling him to make his own rules and decisions instead of letting others do it for him.
3. The narrator alludes to the story of Jonah in the bible. He feels as though coming to Harlem is him being thrown up from the belly of a whale.
Invisible Man Themes and Analysis
Themes:
- Judgement- because an important part of the book deals with the true relationship between black and white people, judgment is very important. The narrator judges people off of their level of intelligence and their relations with the rich white men, while he himself is judged off of the way he treats the rich white men.
- Deception- though it is not completely obvious, there is deception within the characters. Though the narrator and Dr. Bledsoe do not agree with everything said or done by Mr. Norton, they put on as if they do. Their only focus is making sure that they are seen as loyal men, though that is not really true.
- Suffering- it has not yet been shown in the narrator's flashback story, however the narrator is suffering while telling it. He explained that he sees himself as invisible and worthless now, and while telling the story he gives commentary on the thoughts and actions he regrets.
"I, Too"
The time of this story was complicated because black people were transitioning from being slaves by force to slaves by choice. In the poem, Langston was stating that soon he would be able to be around white people as a guest instead of a server, and that is also the narrator's goal in the book. The poem relates to the theme of judgement as well because both Langston and the narrator are attempting to be judged differently by white people. They want to be seen as a friend rather than a assistant.
"Refugee in America"
The poem explains that though Langston is free, he has no liberty. This is also true for the narrator in the story. He is free and can now be around white people as a associate, but he has restrictions on what he can say or do. He is not seen as their equal and neither is Langston. The poem relates to the theme of deception because the white people want black people to believe that they are free and have gotten everything they wanted, though in reality they still have nothing.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Invisible Man Chapters 4,5,& 6
Chapter 4
1. Because of the previous events, the narrator sees the college campus just as he saw the road. What he once saw as beautiful was now threatening.
2. The narrator blames Trueblood for the entire series of events, and he blames the people at Golden Day for causing more traumatic events for Mr. Norton.
3. Old plantation manor houses were owned by rich white people but ran by slaves. The college is similar to one because the trustees are highly viewed there yet the school is for black people.
4. Dr. Bledsoe achieved power by gaining acceptance from white people. He did not completely disregard black people, but he was not largely focused on getting their acceptance.
5. The mirror symbolizes the alter ego Dr. Bledsoe and the narrator puts on for white people. They hide their inner feelings and focus only on making Mr. Norton and other white people happy. The aquarium symbolizes the progress that black people had made during that time. Though Dr. Bledsoe was higher classed, he still was seen as a servant to white people.
Chapter 5
1. The rhetorical argument is based off of ethos because the narrator portrays the trustees, who are all wealthy white men, as people who see the black students as items on display because they have some form of value.
2. The tone for the two paragraphs is pessimistic because the narrator degrades everything he explains with sarcasm.
3. The italicized passage shows the narrator's thoughts about the situation in the present time. He is reflecting on his mistakes while telling the story of his past.
4. The narrator stated that though Dr. Bledsoe was smaller than the trustees by rank, he was bigger than them by presence and reputation.
5. Rev. Barbee alludes back to slavery times and the struggles encountered.
6. The Founder's death was seen "as a birth" because his school and teachings began to flourish.
7. The word black symbolizes the mood during the Founder's death, the mood of the narrator at the time, and the mood of the story altogether. There are many dark moments described during the story. Black is more about the feeling of darkness rather than actual skin color.
8. Rev. Barbee's blindness portrays ethos because he has experienced a lot of traumatic and sad things and now can no longer see.
8. The narrator sees a mockingbird perched on the Founder statue and a beautiful sunset while leaving the chapel.
Chapter 6
1. Dr. Bledsoe's posture is relaxed when the narrator first enters the meeting.
2. Dr. Bledsoe is so angry because Trueblood's situation and Golden Day made black people look bad as a whole; it made Bledsoe seem inferior.
3. Just like the narrator's grandfather, Bledsoe caters to the white people and in the end tries to become one of them.
4. The narrator emphasizes his shock of being called a nigger by Bledsoe by continuously referring to the word as "that".
5. The narrator stated that during the handshake Bledsoe's hand was strangely limp which shows that he knows the narrator will have a hard journey.
1. Because of the previous events, the narrator sees the college campus just as he saw the road. What he once saw as beautiful was now threatening.
2. The narrator blames Trueblood for the entire series of events, and he blames the people at Golden Day for causing more traumatic events for Mr. Norton.
3. Old plantation manor houses were owned by rich white people but ran by slaves. The college is similar to one because the trustees are highly viewed there yet the school is for black people.
4. Dr. Bledsoe achieved power by gaining acceptance from white people. He did not completely disregard black people, but he was not largely focused on getting their acceptance.
5. The mirror symbolizes the alter ego Dr. Bledsoe and the narrator puts on for white people. They hide their inner feelings and focus only on making Mr. Norton and other white people happy. The aquarium symbolizes the progress that black people had made during that time. Though Dr. Bledsoe was higher classed, he still was seen as a servant to white people.
Chapter 5
1. The rhetorical argument is based off of ethos because the narrator portrays the trustees, who are all wealthy white men, as people who see the black students as items on display because they have some form of value.
2. The tone for the two paragraphs is pessimistic because the narrator degrades everything he explains with sarcasm.
3. The italicized passage shows the narrator's thoughts about the situation in the present time. He is reflecting on his mistakes while telling the story of his past.
4. The narrator stated that though Dr. Bledsoe was smaller than the trustees by rank, he was bigger than them by presence and reputation.
5. Rev. Barbee alludes back to slavery times and the struggles encountered.
6. The Founder's death was seen "as a birth" because his school and teachings began to flourish.
7. The word black symbolizes the mood during the Founder's death, the mood of the narrator at the time, and the mood of the story altogether. There are many dark moments described during the story. Black is more about the feeling of darkness rather than actual skin color.
8. Rev. Barbee's blindness portrays ethos because he has experienced a lot of traumatic and sad things and now can no longer see.
8. The narrator sees a mockingbird perched on the Founder statue and a beautiful sunset while leaving the chapel.
Chapter 6
1. Dr. Bledsoe's posture is relaxed when the narrator first enters the meeting.
2. Dr. Bledsoe is so angry because Trueblood's situation and Golden Day made black people look bad as a whole; it made Bledsoe seem inferior.
3. Just like the narrator's grandfather, Bledsoe caters to the white people and in the end tries to become one of them.
4. The narrator emphasizes his shock of being called a nigger by Bledsoe by continuously referring to the word as "that".
5. The narrator stated that during the handshake Bledsoe's hand was strangely limp which shows that he knows the narrator will have a hard journey.
Friday, March 2, 2018
Invisible Man Chapter Review
Chapter One
1. The second paragraph alludes back to slavery times and the history of our ancestors.
2. The narrator's grandfather was telling him to kill the white people with kindness. Be completely submissive to them until it hurts them.
3. Booker T Washington was both an American educator and an advisor to presidents. The narrator's viewing is significant because he is very educated and enjoys serving important white men as well.
4. The naked blonde was a tease in a way. The narrator knew he could not neither look away or stare so he felt very uncomfortable.
5. No one can fully understand anything. Though the narrator enjoys his relationship with white people and it is seen as okay, he also feels ashamed because he knows that it isn't right in some way.
Chapter Two
1. The road symbolized the different paths that people went down in life.
2. The narrator sound the statue as both uplifting and stabilizing however it meant more when it was dirty.
3. The diction and syntax used to describe the trustees shows that they are very wealthy and praised upon because of it.
4. Mr. Norton's initial description alludes back to a book about true educated human beings.
5. The narrator feared the sleeping farmer because he was not an intellectual white man. The narrator feels more connected to them, rather than people who do not find great interest in education.
6. Mr. Norton's enthusiasm is strange because it is for his daughter.
7. The statement foreshadows the situation of Trueblood and its uniqueness.
8. The narrator dislikes hearing Jim's story, yet Mr. Norton is very intrigued by it.
9. Trueblood has a candid tone while telling the story of his incest to the narrator and Mr. Norton; it is as though he is not ashamed.
10. The black community was ashamed of it and would not let Jim explain himself but the white community began to praise him.
11. The wife was planning on getting her sister to give both her and her daughter an abortion.
12. His actions does not surprise the white community because they expect things like that from the black people, however the black community knows that what he did was rare and immoral.
13. Mr. Norton gives Trueblood the money because he feels some form of sympathy for him and his family.
1. The second paragraph alludes back to slavery times and the history of our ancestors.
2. The narrator's grandfather was telling him to kill the white people with kindness. Be completely submissive to them until it hurts them.
3. Booker T Washington was both an American educator and an advisor to presidents. The narrator's viewing is significant because he is very educated and enjoys serving important white men as well.
4. The naked blonde was a tease in a way. The narrator knew he could not neither look away or stare so he felt very uncomfortable.
5. No one can fully understand anything. Though the narrator enjoys his relationship with white people and it is seen as okay, he also feels ashamed because he knows that it isn't right in some way.
Chapter Two
1. The road symbolized the different paths that people went down in life.
2. The narrator sound the statue as both uplifting and stabilizing however it meant more when it was dirty.
3. The diction and syntax used to describe the trustees shows that they are very wealthy and praised upon because of it.
4. Mr. Norton's initial description alludes back to a book about true educated human beings.
5. The narrator feared the sleeping farmer because he was not an intellectual white man. The narrator feels more connected to them, rather than people who do not find great interest in education.
6. Mr. Norton's enthusiasm is strange because it is for his daughter.
7. The statement foreshadows the situation of Trueblood and its uniqueness.
8. The narrator dislikes hearing Jim's story, yet Mr. Norton is very intrigued by it.
9. Trueblood has a candid tone while telling the story of his incest to the narrator and Mr. Norton; it is as though he is not ashamed.
10. The black community was ashamed of it and would not let Jim explain himself but the white community began to praise him.
11. The wife was planning on getting her sister to give both her and her daughter an abortion.
12. His actions does not surprise the white community because they expect things like that from the black people, however the black community knows that what he did was rare and immoral.
13. Mr. Norton gives Trueblood the money because he feels some form of sympathy for him and his family.
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