Themes
How does the title contribute to the novel as a whole?
The character feels he is invisible because he is used to letting others identify who he is instead of being himself , and he is uncomfortable with it.
How does invisibility influence the novel?
The narrator feels that way towards others around him
How does the community act towards the narrators speech?
They liked it, and applauded him.
How did the narrator win the briefcase?
Giving his speech, after a blind folded brawl.
What does the narrators grandfather tell him before he dies that was so significant?
That its ok to kiss up to the white folk when away from home to get ahead but when he gets back he can go back to hating them all he wants.
How does the theme " blindness" fit into this novel?
In the sense that the world is filled with blind people who cannot or will not see his real nature. Correspondingly, he remains unable to act according to his own personality and becomes unable to be himself.
How does his invisibility lead to the theme of blindness?
Him portraying himself as the invisible man is due to no one truly seeing his actual personality because as he says they are to blind to see.
Why does Ras send his followers to lynch the narrator?
The narrator is a traitor to the black community.
Why is the briefcase so significant in the novel?
It contains the narrators scholarship, recommendations and other important documents.
What was the name of the man who wrote the narrator such a bad recommendation?
Dr. Bledsoe
How does race contribute to this novel and the theme?
The narrator has to try and fit in with people who feel like they are superior to him ( whites ) in order to get ahead, which makes him uncomfortable.
when does the narrator first realize his invisibility?
After Ellison implied that if racists really saw their victims, they would not act the way they do. The narrator recognizes his invisibility slowly—in moments like the hospital machine, when he realizes he is being asked to respond to the question of who he is in terms of his blackness.
What was Ras plan all along?
To get the black community to step forward and fight for what they want. ( VIOLENCE )
How does the brief case further solidify the plot of the novel?
Inside held the key to the narrator future, a scholarship, which started his journey with just one item inside, the brief case carries a heavy load of the narrators future and identity.
Why was the battle royal so significant in the novel?
They treated black men as puppets, making them fight blind folded and tussle for fake money on an electric carpet.
What was the narrators first job?
Liberty paints