Invisible Man is a classic of African American fiction by Ralph Ellison. The novel was published in 1952. The book explores the process by which a nameless young Southern Black man emerges from his illusions to see himself for who he really is.
Invisible Man is set in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Its narrator naively thinks that by following the path laid out for him by various Black and white father figures he will become an important man. He learns, however, that many of his mentors (advisers) cannot be trusted. Expelled from college, the youth goes to New York City, trying to figure out what he should do with his life. He tries different jobs, joins a left-wing (liberal or radical) organization, and hopes to become a leader but is not successful. He realizes that he must “be his own father” rather than trying to conform to roles others prescribe for him.
While escaping from a riot in New York City’s Harlem district, the narrator hides in a manhole. Living underground, he discovers that, as a Black man, he is invisible because other people refuse to see him. He prepares to return to society, determined to affirm his individuality and his freedom to think for himself.
The novel is a complex growing-up story, filled with irony and wit. Symbols of blindness, sight, and revelation help Ellison convey major themes of disillusionment and self-discovery.
See also Ellison, Ralph
