Invisible Man, a novel written by Ralph Ellison and published in 1952, follows the story of an unnamed Black narrator throughout his early adult life as he faces widespread racism and discrimination found in America during the 1920’s – 1930’s. The narrator recounts his expansive journey from a college student to his current position living underground, including his struggles moving to a new city, the challenges he faces working at a factory, and finally his complicated involvement in an organization that claims to be fighting for those that are oppressed. Throughout all this, the novel spares no detail and incorporates many symbolic events and meanings that readers are left to consider regarding the relationship of race and power.
The novel does a fantastic job at illustrating multiple theoretical concepts regarding power dynamics. Concepts such as de Beauvoir’s One and Other theory, subaltern status, and even intersectionality can all be seen at work in the narrator’s story. Even the novel’s title, a reference to the narrator’s claim that he is “an invisible man” that society does not truly see as a complex individual, is an example of Spivak’s subaltern theory. Readers will observe as the narrator’s attempts to establish himself are ignored and undermined throughout the novel as the dominant white culture (the One) defines him as an inferior individual (the Other) that, at times, is simply just an object to the point that he cannot be heard and cannot be seen (hence his self-titled “invisibility”). By the novel’s end, the narrator comes to reflect upon his story and recognizes how his unique experiences and identities influenced his choices and perceptions of the world in a moment that highlights an example of intersectionality.
It is difficult to review this text and make note of the many theories it contains without revealing too much information about the novel. Invisible Man is best when read in the absence of many plot explanations, as completely understanding the novel before reading it takes away from the reader’s ability to discover its intricate symbols and concepts for the first time. Invisible Man is an incredibly detailed and complex reading that offers remarkable commentary on power dynamics within society based on race while examining how these dynamics impact an individual’s perception of identity and purpose, and I highly recommend it to anyone searching for a unique and meaningful reading experience.