AA Lit 2019

The most recent chapters of Invisible Man  have been packed with symbolism. One of the most upfront details I noticed was the section in chapter 23 when the narrator takes on the persona of Rinehart, a man seemingly of many identities. There are many different ways the narrator displays himself throughout the book, anything from a submissive driver to a public figure. This section in chapter 23 exemplifies how easy it is for the narrator to disguise himself, and shows how truly invisible the narrator is. By disguising simple characteristics like his eyes and hair, the narrator is able to convince others that he is one of the many Rineharts. Each different Rinehart we read about seems to be stereotypically represented, according to their respective roles. The disturbing thing is that the narrator adapts to this Rinehart identity incredibly quickly, moving from one role to the next. When the narrator encounters Brother Maceo, their conversation escalates into an argument, and eventu...

As we progress through Invisible Man , the narrator's identity drastically changes. At the beginning of the story, the narrator is introduced as a submissive man, who is willing to participate in a battle royale with his peers in order to win a scholarship to a school that further enforces racial inequality. After the narrator enrolls in the school and is eventually kicked out by Bledsoe, the narrator's identity seems to be torn away from him as he identified with the college and its opportunities. The narrator receives a sense of purpose after finding out Bledsoe was trying to keep him running, which leads him to the paint factory. After the explosion and the torture the narrator endures, his sense of purpose is once again ripped from him, leaving him like a newborn, able to adapt to his surroundings. Despite him not really knowing what to do, the protest scene shows that the biggest developing factor for the narrator at that point in time is his subconscious. He doesn't r...