Social Injustice In Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man
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6 Pages
In the 1950’s, African Americans fought against segregation, discrimination and equality for many years. After supposedly gaining equal rights, they still were second to whites. They were no longer slaves, but unfortunately they still felt less than the whites. Many figures rose to fight and protest to put a stop to the inequities between the two races. Plenty died for what they envisioned and wanted for future generations. During this same period, Ralph Ellison wrote Invisible Man. The book follows one specific person, an unnamed black man, to address the issues that African Americans faced. Ellison highlights the social injustice in America while presenting the character’s efforts to reveal how blacks try to become visible, survive, and achieve
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Living amongst different types of people comes with acceptance. Ellison mentions, “Diversity is the word. Let man keep his many parts” (Ellison 577). America is known as a “melting pot” because of all of the races that are within it. Ellison wonders why the whites cannot deal with the fact that they live in a country where blacks also live. Blacks should be able to live amongst the whites and feel equal. Webster’s Encyclopedia adds a detail of his actions and experience, “The black man leaves the racist South for New York City, but his encounters continue to disgust him.” Running away from situations is not always the best solution. The approach on the things people are faced with have an effect on how they live. In Jason Puskar’s article he notes, "It was better to live out one 's own absurdity than to die for that of others.” (racism is absurd)In his book, Ellison suggests that joking is a survival strategy in society. Instead of being serious with every aspect of life, blacks would find a way to live with racism better once they did something different. In order to deal with some things you have to exclude yourself from normal surroundings and people. When things do not change in your favor, you often have to change yourself. The citizen recognizes that instead of trying to fit it, he has to do the opposite. Merriam Webster 's Encyclopedia of Literature shows how the invisible man does so, “he retreats to a hole in the ground, which he furnishes and makes his home.” Blacks do not have to conform to whites, so separation from them is something they need. To live in the world with whites, they do not have to necessarily like each other, but have the ability to comfortably coexist and be
Living amongst different types of people comes with acceptance. Ellison mentions, “Diversity is the word. Let man keep his many parts” (Ellison 577). America is known as a “melting pot” because of all of the races that are within it. Ellison wonders why the whites cannot deal with the fact that they live in a country where blacks also live. Blacks should be able to live amongst the whites and feel equal. Webster’s Encyclopedia adds a detail of his actions and experience, “The black man leaves the racist South for New York City, but his encounters continue to disgust him.” Running away from situations is not always the best solution. The approach on the things people are faced with have an effect on how they live. In Jason Puskar’s article he notes, "It was better to live out one 's own absurdity than to die for that of others.” (racism is absurd)In his book, Ellison suggests that joking is a survival strategy in society. Instead of being serious with every aspect of life, blacks would find a way to live with racism better once they did something different. In order to deal with some things you have to exclude yourself from normal surroundings and people. When things do not change in your favor, you often have to change yourself. The citizen recognizes that instead of trying to fit it, he has to do the opposite. Merriam Webster 's Encyclopedia of Literature shows how the invisible man does so, “he retreats to a hole in the ground, which he furnishes and makes his home.” Blacks do not have to conform to whites, so separation from them is something they need. To live in the world with whites, they do not have to necessarily like each other, but have the ability to comfortably coexist and be