As stated by Jay Parini, "We [the United States] are a nation of immigrants, a quilt of many colors" (BrainyQuote). America is the culmination of peoples and cultures from all across the world. As a seamstress adds and moves pieces while making the American quilt, each change brings different challenges and excitement to the beautiful work. One such dynamic alteration to the fabric of America was the Great Migration, in which millions of African Americans moved north, driven by opportunity. Ralph Ellison, an influential African American writer in the mid-1900s, encapsulates this massive migration experience in the journey of the Narrator in his novel, Invisible Man. The Narrator's experiences represent the triumphs and the struggles of millions
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Immigrants and migrants face economic hardships upon their arrival because of their momentary lack of resources. With the pressure of trying to make ends meet, they frequently take jobs in which they are exploited, overworked, or underpaid. During the Great Migration, many of the African American families "suffered economically, because black men rarely secured positions as skilled workers, and black women had even fewer opportunities for employment" (Whitaker). The vulnerable situation of these families during this period made them susceptible to injustices in the workforce. In Invisible Man, Ellison alludes to these economic hardships with the Narrator's experience in New York. After his arrival, the Narrator finds himself in various jobs which suppress his potential, such as a worker in a paint factory and a boiler room assistant, in an attempt to make some money. A bit later in the novel, he takes a job with the Brotherhood, which he does not want, but he needs, in order to repay his debt. During his time in this job, they manipulate the Narrator for their own schemes and take advantage of him. In the chaos and destruction of the final chapters, the Narrator finally realizes, "It was not suicide, but murder. The committee had planned it. And I had helped, had been a tool. A tool just at the very moment I had thought myself free" …show more content…
Being thrust into an entirely different society and culture, the newness is overwhelming and daunting. Unknown and alone, society frequently defines them with stereotypes and misconceptions. During the Great Migration, African Americans dealt with prejudice on a daily basis. Although they were free from slavery, they were still far from experiencing social equality, and were "afforded second-class status" ("Harlem Renaissance"). In Invisible Man, Ellison brings attention to this prejudice through the symbolism of the Liberty Paints Factory. When mixing paint, the Narrator puts exactly ten drops of "dead black" liquid into each bucket (Ellison 200). This liquid makes the paint "the purest white that can be found" (Ellison 202). Ellison includes the factory to represent the national bias against African Americans while recognizing their imperative role in society. The ten drops of liquid symbolize the ten percent of the American population which is black. By mixing these into the optic white paint, Ellison makes the statement that America suppresses the role and culture of blacks in society, yet they play a vital role in the country's
Immigrants and migrants face economic hardships upon their arrival because of their momentary lack of resources. With the pressure of trying to make ends meet, they frequently take jobs in which they are exploited, overworked, or underpaid. During the Great Migration, many of the African American families "suffered economically, because black men rarely secured positions as skilled workers, and black women had even fewer opportunities for employment" (Whitaker). The vulnerable situation of these families during this period made them susceptible to injustices in the workforce. In Invisible Man, Ellison alludes to these economic hardships with the Narrator's experience in New York. After his arrival, the Narrator finds himself in various jobs which suppress his potential, such as a worker in a paint factory and a boiler room assistant, in an attempt to make some money. A bit later in the novel, he takes a job with the Brotherhood, which he does not want, but he needs, in order to repay his debt. During his time in this job, they manipulate the Narrator for their own schemes and take advantage of him. In the chaos and destruction of the final chapters, the Narrator finally realizes, "It was not suicide, but murder. The committee had planned it. And I had helped, had been a tool. A tool just at the very moment I had thought myself free" …show more content…
Being thrust into an entirely different society and culture, the newness is overwhelming and daunting. Unknown and alone, society frequently defines them with stereotypes and misconceptions. During the Great Migration, African Americans dealt with prejudice on a daily basis. Although they were free from slavery, they were still far from experiencing social equality, and were "afforded second-class status" ("Harlem Renaissance"). In Invisible Man, Ellison brings attention to this prejudice through the symbolism of the Liberty Paints Factory. When mixing paint, the Narrator puts exactly ten drops of "dead black" liquid into each bucket (Ellison 200). This liquid makes the paint "the purest white that can be found" (Ellison 202). Ellison includes the factory to represent the national bias against African Americans while recognizing their imperative role in society. The ten drops of liquid symbolize the ten percent of the American population which is black. By mixing these into the optic white paint, Ellison makes the statement that America suppresses the role and culture of blacks in society, yet they play a vital role in the country's