Kim Nguyen

Invisible Man Rhetorical Analysis

Author, Ralph Ellison, in his moving novel, Invisible Man, describes how his character
feels towards other people, for example, the white folks, based on the way they treat him.
Ellisons purpose is to express how being invisible may not be an emotional or mental thing, but
also a physical thing as well; and how feeling invisible may destroy a persons perspective on
life. He adopts a sympathetic, but aggressive tone in order to appeal to similar feelings in his
readers.
According to Ellison, I am an invisible man (Ellison, 1). In making this comment,
Ellison urges his readers question the different meanings that this would have from different
perspectives and viewpoints. Having Ellison start off with a broad sentence grabs the readers
attention and makes them keep reading. It is a very effective technique that Ellison uses to
convey his purpose. He gives the reader something to think about, from reading such a simple
statement.
He also uses a smile in this beginning passage. Ellison states, I am invisible, understand,
simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus
sideshows (1). In other words, Ellison believes that the bodiless heads that are shown at the
circus are as invisible as how he feels around people, or at least how they treat him. Using this
simile, he can make his readers understand his true feelings. He feels rejected and neglected from
the world, seeing that no one takes the time to acknowledge his existence. He feels left out and
invisible.
In Ellisons view, people only see his surroundings, themselves, or figments of their
imagination----indeed everything and anything except me. By making this argument, Ellison
appeals to his readers pathos. He appeals to our emotions when we read this, making us feel
sympathetic for the narrator. The kinds of words that he uses to express the narrators emotions
are very effective. It makes the text more interesting, making the reader want to continue the
reading. But more importantly to appeal to his readers pathos, using sympathetic words,
changing his tone.
By using all of these techniques, Ellison creates a very effective piece of writing. With
these techniques and his choice of words, Ellison conveys that being invisible may not be an
emotional or mental thing, but also a physical thing as well; and how feeling invisible may
destroy a persons perspective on life.