The novel “The Invisible Man” was written by Ralph Ellison. The novel takes place in the American south; Harlem New York during the late 1920s or early 1930s. Ralph Ellison uses time to change the ideas in the novel from inherently pro-communism to anti-communism. The setting is critical to the story because it shows a difference from back when racism was a very big thing to the present where race is now equal. The novel sets a tone of frank and thoughtful. Racism as an obstacle to individual identity is the theme. The narrator is the protagonist. The narrator was very naïve because once he moved to New York racism was different from being in the south. The narrator is a static character because he refuses to change himself. In the …show more content…
We never learn his name, but this is his show—the novel chronicles his path to realizing his invisibility. Back then black people were “invisible”. We were basically nothing in the eyes of whites. All of it was kind of true so there isn’t anything unrealistic. If I could change one thing it would be him trying to prove himself to people because you don’t have to prove yourself to anybody but God. I am not ashamed of my grandparents for having been slaves. I am only ashamed of myself for having at one time been ashamed. About eighty-five years ago, they were told that they were free, united with others of our country in everything pertaining to the common good, and, in everything social, separate from the fingers of the hand. And they believed it. They exulted in it. They stayed in their place, worked hard, and brought up my father to do the same. (1.2) The narrator recounts that freed slaves were told they were free in all ways, although this clearly was not true. Socially, after freedom from slavery, black people were kept very separate from the rest of society. Sadly, the narrator's grandparents bought into the promise of true freedom wholesale. I would definitely recommend this book because its teaches