Invisible Man
Stars: 4/5
Invisible Man, released in 1952, is truly an immeasurable work of fiction in the annals of African-American literature. You will follow the nameless protagonist as he narrates his journey from youth to an HBCU located in the South (think Tuskegee), then expelled and sent to New York, to joining 'the Brotherhood', and finally, to a series of disappointing events in which he realizes his invisibility. Besides the narrator there are quite a number of characters, most of which are continually referred to throughout the story. All characters have names except for the narrator. Ellison maintains the narrator's 'invisibility' by alluding to his name but never fully disclosing it. Along the way, the narrator collects an assortment of items; tokens that possess particular meaning to him and, at times, provides strength and security.
Ellison parlays a heavy dose of symbolism, metaphors and vivid imagery into a nationally acclaimed novel about one African-American man's odyssey to conquer his charade-playing foes.
Also by Ralph Ellison: Shadow and Act
, Juneteenth: A Novel
and Three Days Before the Shooting
. . . (Modern Library); the latter two posthumously released after his death in 1994 See all Book Reviews
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