Novel Fiction

Invisible Man
Author Year Published Original Language
Ralph Ellison 1952 English

MAIN CHARACTERS

See Me For Invisible Man is the fictional memoir of an unnamed black narrator's journey of
self-discovery. Society sees the narrator as a "black man"—a label rife
Who I Am, Not with racist expectation. His true self is invisible, to both the outside world and

What I Am himself. He must confront racism, exploitation, and abuse to define

his individuality.

Dr. Bledsoe Narrator Tod Clifton

College dean; believes Excellent orator; struggles Idealistic orator; believes
black men should remain to find his unique identity in a hopeful future for
submissive black youth but is driven to
despair

Ras the Exhorter Brother Jack

Violent separatist; Leader of Brotherhood;
believes black men believes black men are
should fight against tools for his own success
whites

Mr. Norton Mary

Narcissistic Generous mother figure;
philanthropist; believes believes in the dignity of
black men are charity black women and men
cases to be civilized

Author Symbols

Mary's Bank
Symbolizes racial expectations
that black men must "perform"
for white charity

Briefcase
RALPH ELLISON Symbolizes slavery's "baggage"
1914–94 on modern African Americans

Like the narrator, Ellison was

haunted by his grandparents'
slave history, attended a
prestigious black college, and Optic White Paint
eventually settled in Harlem. Symbolizes society's demand for
Inspired by the individualism of people to hide their "blackness"
jazz, Ellison used fellowship to achieve success
money to pen the richly symbolic
Invisible Man, which won the
National Book Award in 1953.

Invisible Man
by the Numbers

1
Novels Ellison
Themes published in his
lifetime

3
Weeks Invisible Man
was on the
best-seller list

Ambition Social Roles

All the novel's characters desire Characters alter their 1,369
power, but black characters must behaviors to meet
navigate white supremacy in their expectations. Lightbulbs the
pursuit—which often ends narrator in Invisible
in disillusionment. Man burns in
his room

Colors
Different colors represent
everything from emotions to
music and money.
Individuality
The narrator's central struggle
is to be seen as a complex
individual, outside of racial
expectations for a "black man."

am invisible, understand, simply

because people refuse to see me.
Narrator, Prologue

Sources: Famous Authors, History Channel, Library of Congress,

National Book Foundation, New York Times

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