Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is written in a limited first person's point of view. The narrator, who remains unnamed, only knows his own thoughts and everything is seen through his eyes. This point of view has to be my least favorite and is by far the least interesting, although in some cases, unlike this one, it can sometimes be easier to follow. The narrator is one of the most important elements in this novel, he is the protagonist and as it is written in first person the story revolves around him. He tells this story as a flashback, he knows everything that has happened and that shapes his opinions as he writes the story. The narrator is a black man; his race greatly affects the setting as he attended a black college and lived in Harlem, New York. Harlem is a black community and there is a lot of racial tension seen throughout the streets. Racial tension is seen everywhere in this book though, as it is set in the 1930s. The characters seem use to racial tension, and even though they are annoyed by it they deal with it. The main character is, of course, the unnamed narrator. He considers himself invisible, but I believe he wishes to be invisible because he finds it easier to live this way. In his younger years he tries to break the stereotypical mold of a black man, but like always when you try to be something you are not it ends badly. So after trying to make it in college, become a factory worker, and being a black rights leader in Harlem all fail, he finally becomes invisible so he can truly be his southern self. The Brotherhood makes up an important part of the narrator's life. The racist Brother Jack views the followers of the Brotherhood as tools and never sees the true people that live inside those tools. Ras represents the violent side of every revolution; he leads a riot that becomes deadly. Tod Clifton is an important character, because his death is a turning experience for the narrator. Tod Clifton was a member of the Brotherhood