Analysis Of The Story 'Battle Royal'

Have you ever lived in a world where you feel like your being over looked? Well imagine being over looked because your race. In the story “Battle Royal” the narrator is facing all those roadblocks trying to find a crossroad for all African American people so that they can have a more abundant lifestyle. Throughout the story the narrator one will see where the narrator goes from being oblivious to the lifestyle he’s living, to being treated as an undistinguished human to get where he need to be, and finally breaking free into a man who is self-sufficient and determined for greatness. In the story the narrator starts reminiscing over the last conversation with his grandfather who gave him a speech he would never forget. His grandfather spoke …show more content…
He mentions how he see a lot of high superior people such as: bankers, doctors, judges, fire chiefs, police officers, and a couple of pastors surrounding the ballroom area. Right before the narrator prepare to take the stand for his speech, an announcement is made about the “Battle Royal” at this point the narrator is forced to participate in this event not knowing what is about to take place. He begins to wonder if he was really brought here to say his speech, or was he brought here to be humiliated. Eventually the narrator and a couple of males were thrown into a ring, as they were being threatened to watch what the narrator considered a “blonde” dance around naked gathering the crowd’s attention. All the male’s face was covered with white blindfolds, and dressed to fight. At this point of the story in my opinion the narrator is being treated as an undistinguished human. The sign I received from the blindfolding is the symbol of being in a bondage when it comes to white people. The narrator is having to fight for his life while being blindfolded, and hearing nothing but laughter in the …show more content…
He continues with saying how the narrator would go far if he keeps his head on straight, and he handed him a suitcase. The narrator had the slightest clue of what was in there but once he opened it he was rewarded scholarship money to attend a Negro College. The crowd cheered him on with triumph, and his family and community celebrated on his behalf. The narrator now feels like he has done what his grandfather asked of him. Sometimes we are put in a situation where we will have to bow down, get thrown around, but in the end the longer we stand that perseverance goes a long way. Later, that night, the narrator had a dream where his grandfather and him was at a circus and he watched funny act to there wasn’t anymore. The narrator said the grandfather never laughed, and told him to open his suitcase This shows how serious the grandfather was when it comes to his grandchild life and the furthering of his education. As the narrator look through the suitcase he finds a letter that has “keep this nigger-boy running” and woke up with the laughter of his grandfather in his ears. So, in the end although the narrator went from being oblivious to what was going on in his life, he had to go through some crossroads; getting tossed around and beat just so he can be heard. He finished out with receiving a scholarship which is my sign of being