The Societal Roles Of Women In Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

Women, during the 1920s to 1930s, were viewed as mothers or housewives. Their roles in society were minimal; woman had to cook, clean, and care for the children and their husbands. Women consistently had to maintain their appearance whether they were in the home or not. Men, on the other hand, were superior and the only voice in society, while women did not have much of a say. Ralph Ellison’s, Invisible Man, depicts the minimal roles of women in society and their mistreatment. Throughout the novel, the narrator encounters various women, at certain times, and his perception of women differs from other men. While men viewed women as objects, rather than equal individuals, the narrator begins to grow out of the societal views of women, due to his character …show more content…
Mary was the first woman to aid the narrator and over time, the narrator grew a connection with Mary and cared for her. This was the first woman to have place in his life since, the narrator lived in her home and paid her. This was different, based on the roles of men and women at the time; woman normally depended on men. Once it got to the point where the narrator needed to leave her home because of his new job, a fear grew within him. “I felt a quick sickness grow within me. How could I face her?” (Ellison 296). The narrator had a great respect for Mary and always took advice from her, although he did not have to. The narrator learned a lot from Mary and she motivated him to find a job because he felt that he owed her so much. Any other man would have felt embarrassed or weak if they depended on a woman, and the narrator did not seem to care with Mary. It was strange to believe a man would even attempt to live under the roof of a woman since they were superior. The narrator’s character development allowed him to respect Mary as an individual rather than an object, as he would have seen any other