Invisible Man :: Literary Analysis, Ralph Ellison

Ralph Ellison uses symbolism in the first chapter of Invisible composition to illustrate the culture in which he lived and was raised. In the chapter, entitled meshing Royal, Ellison intends to give his graduation speech to the uncontaminating elite of his community. However, originally her can deliver said speech, he is forced to perform humiliating tasks. The use of symbols is evident throughout Battle Royal particularly with move to the Hell imagery, power struggle, and the circus metaphor.The setting of the chapter is significantly symbolic. The story takes do in a luxurious ballroom, which Ellison has masterfully transformed into Hell. This is the boobr. The men in the hearing are smoking black cigars (1255). The room was foggy with cigar smoke even though the room is described as large and has a high ceiling (1255). The fibber also gives these men animalistic qualities that essentially revealing them to be savages. They are seen wolfing down food (1254). Later, they run laughing and howling after the dancing muliebrity (1257). Although far less of a wolfish image, the narrator even compares the perverted old man to an intoxicated panda. The narrator also describes them as having red faces (1259). In this characterization the men plainly hire all the characteristics of demons in Hell. The Hell image is advanced advance when the fighters are blindfolded. The narrator explains, ..now I felt a sudden move of blind terror. (1257). When the fight begins, he adds, the smoke had become thicker and with each newborn blow it seemed to sear and further restrict my lungs. My saliva became like heated bitter glue. (1258).The men demonstrate their authority over him and his classmates. A crest instance of this is the dancing woman. The ten fighters were positioned in the front of the ballroom. Then the woman was exhibited, all look were on her. She was completely naked, except for her makeup and a tattoo of the American flag. Her face was heavily powdered and rouged her eyes hollow and smeared a cool blue. (1256). She represents America, and therefore freedom. The men in the audience even though they are just as fixated as the fighters, have more control. In their society, they are allowed to look at a white woman. The fighters however, are black, and therefore are supposed to suppress any thoughts regarding her so they do not get killed. This display also serves to rob them of nearly of their masculinity.