Analysis of Ralph Ellison's Battle Royal Essay Example

“I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.”(Battle Royal) The unknown protagonist looks for his American Dream and his own sense of meaning in life. The difficulties that many African Americans encountered at the time of a self-identity crisis are described in the 1947 novel "Battle Royal." Even though it meant lowering his own standards, the protagonist nevertheless wanted to make everyone around him happy. He didn't want to be branded a traitor by either the White or the Black cultures since he wanted to be appreciated by both. Following his Grandfather wishes he had to suppress his belief and dreams to help protect his family from the danger that existed if he disagreed with the whites. Meaning to become humble, and seek what others would prefer for him to do instead of figuring out what he wants for himself.

The protagonist's grandfather explained to his grandson to obey the white men at any cost even if that meant lowering his standards is the only way to overcome adversity. “ I want you to overcome ‘em with yeses, undermine ‘em with grins, agree ‘em to death and destruction, let ‘em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open.”(Battle Royal)  Compensating with everyone else's needs other than his own is the advice his grandfather left him with before his passing. His grandfather saw this as the only way to survive and to make a change for the better, by changing the perspective of how whites saw African Americans. At some point the protagonist believed that his grandfather's advice was a curse, and that would lead him to becoming a traitor. Fighting his own demons the protagonist wanted to defy his grandfather's remarks instead it drastically changed the perspective of life. Not for him but other African Americans that were affected by the way others saw and treated each other. An example of this is the battle royal where he was to fight other African Americans from his school for the entertainment of whites. Seen there are judges, teachers, and the head of the fire department smoking and drinking. The protagonist's classmates started expressing enmity towards him when he spoke to them before the event. This is what he feared rejection of his peers, fighting to degrade himself, but he couldn’t deny it. His grandfather wanted him to accept everything that the whiteman asked of him, and nothing less of that. 

“Be recognized by others for what they are”(American Dream) is how James Truslow Adams described it as the American dream. The protagonist in this novel also wanted to believe in it, but he's never been able to come into his own. Instead, he was on an equal level with his peers who, in the view of others, were not as bright as him. Mimicked, laughed at, and degraded within his little time at the ballot it was during his speech it became clear it was a joke that others can make fun of. “Well , you had better speak more slowly so we can understand. We mean to do right by you but you’ve got to know your place at all times. All right, now, go on with your speech.”(Battle Royal) He shouted  “social equality”(Battle Royal), which infuriated the white population because it is inaccurate. Whites will always be inferior to blacks, they claimed, expressing their convictions that a white man and a black man would never be equal. Knowing that his place would be to acknowledge the whites for his accomplishments and those still to come. So he competed. Instead of realizing the harm coming to himself, his actions this evening would go for his grandfather's desires, helping his family. The protagonist was electrocuted for the enjoyment of whites following losing the royal from being knocked out. The protagonist willingly degraded himself for a total of five bucks, and the acceptance of whites. His grandfather's dying words impacted his decision,but against his self conscience telling him to decline the fight and just give the speech. Instead he wanted to please the everyone else that came to see him leading to his decision of accepting the fight.     

This enhanced how blacks were viewed as nothing more than entertainment, allowing the backward drift of Adam's American dream. As it seemed to be the right decision, it placed them in a trap, one that led to no escape. As it seemed the blacks were being rewarded, winning, and making a better life for themselves it was just the beginning of a tragic one. “To Whom it May Concern,” I intoned. “Keep This Nigger-Boy Running.”(Battle Royal)  The protagonist had a dream of realization of what a scholarship to college meant. Instead of making a better life, it insisted that nothing would change. The education that he would receive would give extra incentives, but the way of  how he is perceived will always stay the same.” Regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.” (American Dream) The protagonist would always be seen as an African American man neither social status, or an education could influence how it changes. He would always be seen as entertainment, and with the curse that his grandfather gave him is something that couldn’t be denied. The protagonist would always be invisible, not knowing what he would've made of his life if he took a different path. Not being able to be himself, but what others wanted him to be. As if he was in a maze, and every turn would be a new perspective that some has for him the more he follows the less possibilities of finding what he wants in life. The protagonist will always be trapped in a box with no escape of degradation, fear, and confusion. Degradation from lowering his standards, and suppressing his beliefs for the acceptance of whites. Fear of not being able to be accepted, afraid that if he can’t succeed in what his grandfather wanted, his family wouldn’t be protected. Confused from having no self identity becoming what others wanted to perceive him as leading to his identity crisis.

Sacrificing his happiness, beliefs, and needs for the acceptance of others led to the protagonist's point of no return. Wanting to follow his grandfather’s request of him to live a life of obedience to whites led to his identity crisis. Leading him to degrade himself for the entertainment of whites, hoping that if he can comply with what others want him to be there will be change. The harsh reality hit him when it was his time to give his speech, wanting to change while others declined it to ever happen. Affected his American Dream wanting everyone to be equal sharing beliefs of James Truslow Adams. It wasn’t until the dream with his grandfather that he understood that change isn’t possible. It just takes a different form. Ralph Ellison expressed the thoughts of blacks that were perceived “ That night I dreamed I was at a circus with him and that he refused to laugh at the clowns no matter what they did.”(Battle Royal) In this case during the battle royal African Americans were seen as clowns that entertained the whitemen for their pleasure. Even if that includes electrocuting them with a rug, or yelling slurs at them while they humiliate themselves. The curse the grandfather gave the protagonist wasn’t a curse, but a lifestyle that would compensate with both blacks and whites.