Reflection Essay on Invisible man

Invisible Man: The Black College In the novel by Ralph Ellison, the narrator reveals several attitudes using figurative language. Within the novel the narrator’s feelings towards the black college begin to change more and more. Throughout chapter 2 Ellison uses several literary devices to reveal the narrator’s attitude before and after venturing inside. In the beginning, as the narrator flashbacks to his first time at the college, he uses forms of imagery, and at first gives positive descriptions. He describes the “beautiful ollege” and how the “honeysuckle and purple wisteria” scents filled his nose.

He expresses how the roads were “gracefully winding” with “wild roses that dazzled”. The imagery portrays the college as appeasing to the senses. The view of the college on the outside is very positive when described, but changes as the chapter progresses. Moving further into the chapter, the attitude of the narrator begins to shift through tone. Towards the end of the paragraph, on page 34, the narrator describes how he down the road where a red glow from the furnace” glared through. He walks further where the “beautiful college” turns into an “insane asylum. The narrator’s eye opening change suddenly gives light to deeper feelings. Also down the road, the narrator begins to ‘see’ the college’s true essence. Instead of “honeysuckle and purple wisteria” he see “broken glass and sun heated stones. ” He hears sounds of “drunken laughter of sad, sad whores. ” The tone of the narrator goes from cheerful to somber as he ventures further and further into the college. The shift suggests the negative attitude towards the college. Lastly, the narrator’s attitude toward the college is revealed through details.

As the narrator reached the center of the campus he sees the students. He describes them as “robots” and “white washed. ” Initially, the narrator is looking upon the irony of their “eyes blind” and how unaware they are of the white supremacy. At the center of the campus, the narrator describes the statue of the Founder and how he seemed to be portrayed as this “father symbol” with a “kneeling slave” below him that is somewhat Worshiping him and giving praise. He can’t even decipher whether the loth that the father symbol is holding is “being lifted” or “lowered more firmly in place. The narrator seems to be questioning the motive of the Founder; is he trying to show black society the light, or blind them from the truth? As a last description, he describes the campus as a “flower studded wasteland” with “dry winds hidden. ” The details suggest the the narrator feels the college is beautious and appealing on the outside, but when fully probed, truth begins to appear. All in all, as the story progresses, readers begin to see how the narrator views the black college change.

Before his actual enlightenment, he was blind to white society and felt the college sparked equality. His views quickly change when he realizes it’s Just another what to keep blacks under their thumb. He views the college as this puppeteer for black society controlling them and keeping them down. He described how blacks are distracted by the beauty and fail to open their eyes to the oppression whites have placed on blacks The novel speaks to many people today and give insig really went on throughout society in 1930s America. nt to what