Exposibility As A Victim In Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

Visibility gives purpose to existence. The famous thought experiment, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” defines the human condition. A life lacking recognition, or at least acknowledgement, is among the worst of prisons. Humans are social beings who must interact with others or risk insanity. Looking back on my high school experience, having become all too soon a fond memory, I concluded life is a mission on which we uncover and answer various questions about identity and visibility. Like the title character of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, I am both a perpetrator and a victim, a leader and a follower. Invisibility, or failure to be acknowledged by peers, is among the worst forms of

This phrase is an example of the diction employed by Ellison and Armstrong to create wordplay. Black and blue could refer to bruising, while it could also mean African American and sad. True sadness is rarely a part of my life, but when it visits, it makes its presence felt. The most profound feelings of sadness I ever felt came during junior year wrestling season. I did not enjoy it, I was mediocre at best, and over that season I needed to lose fifty pounds in two months in order to fill a spot in the lineup. For weeks at a time I would have one glass of water and one apple a day. Each grueling three-hour long practice I wore multiple layers of sweatshirts and sweatpants for weight loss. I came home each night to hours of homework which I would rarely be able to concentrate on due to nausea and pure exhaustion. This pattern chewed away at me daily and as my grades fell, so did my self-control as I began to lash out at everyone close to me. I was a slave to the sport, with my eating habits and clothing controlled. My soul was weighed down by the anchor of complete and utter hopelessness. Life became a hazy period of hibernation; I felt like I was walking around in a dream world. After much deliberation and struggling with the guilt of disappointing my friends on the team and a coach I have the utmost respect for, I emancipated myself from my senior season in light of multiple serious arm injuries that worsened throughout football. Or at least that was my excuse. While these were real injuries, and most likely should have kept me out, I knew deep down I was the only one with the power to escape the miserable months to follow. Although I occasionally regret not participating, I also would have regretted it if I had not