Analysis Essay on Invisible Man

Throughout the different episodes of the novel, the narrator learned many things about himself and society. There are four episodes that he learns the most in which are the battle royale scene, the Trueblood scene, the Liberty Paint Factory, and during his time at the Brotherhood.  He learned his power of speech and that he is going to be constantly manipulated by white men, by them taking advantage of his race and using him for entertainment.

In the first scene of the novel the narrator goes to a meeting to give his graduation speech, in hopes of earning a scholarship. This was not a harmless event like he was thinking. They make the students box, with an electric mat, and have them attempt to grab money. These white men in charge were using the African American students as a form of entertainment. “These N**** look like they're about to pray” Then, ‘Ready,’ the man said. ‘Go!’” (27) The students were bleeding and in pain after this happened but the whie men were cheering, which is very inhumane. After this happened the narrator realized that he wasn’t there for his speech but for the entertainment of white people. ONce he got through being entertainment he got to give his speech. When he was speaking he was swallowing blood and no one was listening to him until he said “social responsibility,” and got their attention. The rich white men were amazed by his speech about equality. They gave him a big applause and he got the scholarship. “He makes a good speech and some day he’ll lead his people to proper paths.”(32) The superintendent said this about his speech and the narrator said “ I felt an Importance I’ve never dreamed of.”(32) He left with his briefcase and left feeling like a million bucks, even though he was just manipulated by the white men. He learned this power of speaking. His speech grabbed the attention of these men and they actually paid attention and respected him enough to listen.

In the next scene the narrator is at college and working as a driver. He drives Mr. Norton, a founder of the school, and ends up at Trueblood’s house, following Norton’s directions. The narrator tried to tell Norton not to go talk to Trueblood because he is portrayed as an embarrassment to the african american community because he got his daughter pregnant. Once they got back to the school and Dr. Bledsoe finds out about their trip, he automatically balmes the narrator. “But it was out of my control, sir,’ I said ‘just as Mr. Norton said.. ‘I’ll explain, young man.. Everything will be explained.”(104) Even though the narrator and Mr. Norton told Bledsoe he wasn’t at fault here, by doing what Mr. Norton told him to do like he had always been taught, but he got kicked out of the college. Bledsoe did this because he cared about his own reputation and now how it would affect the narrator, he was only concerned about himself. From this experience he learned that whether he follows the rules or not he is always going to be punished because of his race and white people will always be right over him.

Once he got kicked out, he moved to New York and started working at the Liberty Paint Factory. He originally starts his job by making paint, optic white, which his boss, Kimbro, was extremely picky about. He gets started on his first batch of paint and he could tell it wasn’t going to be the right color. When Kimbro came back to check the narrator's paint he didn't notice that the color was different. “A gray tinge glowed through the whiteness, and Kimbro failed to detect it… Well, I thought, as long as he’s satisfied.”(205) The narrator knew better than to speak up about the paint or he would get fired. This showed that it didn’t matter what the narrator saw but only what Kimbro saw because he is white, and the narrator is African American so it didn’t matter what he saw. Even though his paint was fine in Kimbros eyes, he got demoted to the basement working with Brockway. As soon as he walked to the basement Brockway didn’t want him there and was rude to the narrator the whole itm he worked there. When he first introduced himself to Brockway he said, “Assistant!... I don’t need no damn assistant!” From the start he didn’t want to be associated with an African American man. He made his time in the basement hard, telling him to “Git out of my basement!”(224) and constantly reminding the narrator that he is in charge, “I’m the boss, and don’t forgit it.”(213) Through his experience at the paint factory he learned that he is never going to be good enough for a white boss.

Lastly the narrator got invited to a Brotherhood and he learned a lot through this experience. At the end of the novel, he ends up getting kicked out of the brotherhood because he was becoming successful and making a change. The leader of the brotherhood was a white man and he saw that the narrator was starting to outshine him and he didn’t want that to happen, even though they were both standing up for equal rights. The narrator held a ceremony for a brother who was killed and it got a lot of notice which Brother Jack didn’t like. “The committee has decided against such demonstrations”(472) he said to the narrator. From this experience he learned that if he is more successful than a white man, then they are going to shut it down preventing him from being successful.

During the narrator’s episodes of life he learned important things about himself and society. From learning that he is going to be constantly manipulated by white men and his power of speech he continued to not the white supremacy affect him and tried to make society a more equal place.