Blindness In Invisible Man Essay

Throughout the novel, Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison illustrates many images of blindness and its relation to sight. The images created, symbolize the perspectives and understanding within the novel. Starting from beginning where the Invisible Man is blindfolded during the Battle Royal to the end when he is treading down the street in his dark shades, we see a variety of references to blindness and sight that really contribute to the situations throughout the novel, as well as, the development and identity of the characters. Many situations demonstrate how the characters inability to see outwardly at what is happening around them parallels to their inability to see what is happening to them and their understanding internally. We are introduced

Homer A. Barbee, a blind poet and storyteller, publically spoke to the people of the college, illustrating the life of the Founder. With his strong words and powerful imagery, Barbee makes the Invisible Man "see the vision" (133) and become completely oblivious to the fact that he is blind. I think that there is an interesting contrast in that Barbee is blind, yet he can "see" the God-like figure that the Founder is, while the Invisible Man, who can see, does not understand why Barbee praises him. Barbee's inability to see hinders his ability to be an precise judge of

From the beginning of the novel until the end, the Invisible Man undergoes many phases and views on blindness that that how he views things and how he had defined it for himself. Having been through the blindness, as well as, being a witness to it, the Invisible Man has faced the humiliation, confusion, shock, and confidence, all reactions he has expressed whether when find out Barbee was truly blind or making a influential speech to Harlem, pushing them towards a change. The Invisible Man embraces his changing perspectives, something that ultimately led to his own confrontation with