Invicible Man Essay, Research Paper

{Critical Analysis}

Symbolism Enforcing the Theme in Invisible Man

In the novel, Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison uses several images and metaphors to reinforce his theme of the invisibility of man, most especially the minority black man. The symbolism found in the novel, which reinforces the theme, allow for a subtle reminder of the worth of the human individual.

In the novel, some vivid images are conveyed through the invisible man s daily routine. Some of the most powerful symbols come at a time of transition for the invisible man. When he gets a job working at Liberty Paints, the invisible man is surrounded by striking images, which reinforce the theme. First, the slogan for Liberty Paint s most popular color, white, is a bombastic symbol. If it s Optic White, It s the Right White. This statement could not be more obvious. The statement, the Right White reinforces the miniscule worth of the black man in that era in society. White as the standard for being white simply degrades all the other colors.

Another image, seen in Liberty Paints, is the statement made by Lucius Brockway. He says,

Our white is so white you can painta chunka

coal and you d have to crack it open with a sledge hammer to prove it wasn t white clear through.

This statement suggests that the white man is smothering and suffocating the black man. The white completely engulfs the black. The only way to prove it is not completely white is to crack open the white to get to the black center. During this era, the oppressive white man muffles the soul and voice of the black man. Only by searching for the thoughts of the black man, can someone find out what they think. Otherwise, they are told what to think by the white man.

Another image in Liberty Paints is the name itself. The word liberty causes one to think of freedom and the ability to speak one s mind without the fear of repercussion. At Liberty Paints, however, this was not the case. Not only is the establishment filled with its bigoted people, but also the images within the establishment suggest the underlying of a racist community.

The invisible man had to work in this community and also played a role in providing an image to reinforce the theme. In his first job at Liberty Paints, the invisible man mixed black drops of graduate with white paint. Before he played a hand in the making of the paint, everything went as was supposed. The black graduate disappeared into the white paint, which seemed to engulf the helpless black drops. The invisible man then mixed up the graduate and produced a grayish color. By playing a role in the making of the paint, the invisible man went from having pure white paint, to having a mixture of the white and black to form a gray. This image foreshadows the hope, which the invisible man has at dealing with the world later on.

While the novel is filled with rich symbols that reinforce the central theme, Liberty Paints is where the most vivid and profound images occur. The invisibility of the minority man in that society is paralleled through the images. While mostly showing despair, some of the images do provide hope for the future of the minority man.