Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison | Analysis

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison | Analysis The main protagonist of Ralph Ellison invisible man is not the only one who remains unseen as the novel unfolds. Another element also cloaked in invisibility follows our unknown character throughout the novel, changing both beat and tempo as the novel develops. Rather like the invisible man, the ongoing musical beat that runs through out the invisible man’ may not be visible yet it is very clearly felt and heard. It is the distinct incorporation of the inflowing musical beat that allows for an interloping of ideas based upon the visible, the invisible and the creative with the novel. The main theme within the ‘invisible man’ is that of the more obvious theme of invisibility. Ellison explores through the use of music such as in the form of jazz the moments or experiences where invisibility takes control. Such breaks in visibility signify a chance for the protagonist to escape and break the mould of the what can be called ‘constitutional visibility’ allowing for the exploration of ones own identity and individuality. An individuality and identity that is not in any way restricted to what is generally accepted as visible. Such breaks that allow for such explorations to take place within the novel can be seen from the very beginning where in the prologue the protagonist recalls a certain incident: Once I saw a prize-fighter boxing a yokel. The fighter was swift and amazingly scientific. His body was one violent flow of rapid rhythmic action. He hit the yokel a hundred times while the yokel held up his arms in stunned surprise. But suddenly the yokel struck one blow . The smart money hit the canvas. The long shot got the nod. The yokel had simply stepped inside of the opponent’s sense of time. Through such a passage the reader is able to see that there is an alternative to the scientific approach. The yokel uses time and space in order to overpower the violence of science allowing creativity to achieve success. The restriction imposed by science is overcome through the ability to analyze and interpret a situation differently. In the instance it was the yokel’s ability to step into the time frame of the prize-fighter and thus provide for a different strategy towards victory. One that was able to unite creativity and originality. Rather like the same way the ‘invisible man’ uses the music of Louis Armstrong with the combination of the reefer to discover a rather unconventional way of listening to Armstrong’s music, thus in that way offering new ways of interpretation. Through the work of Victor Zuckerkandl, critic Nathaniel Mackey creates a rather interesting argument. Mackey states that ‘because music exists the tangible and visible can not be the whole of the given world. The intangible and invisible is itself a part of the world, something which we encounter, something to which we respond’ this statement can be seen running throughout the ‘invisible man’. It is visible where the protagonist describes the dream like images evoked by the Louis Armstrong’s music. These images run throughout the novel as seen at the very beginning by the incorporation of the prize-fighter and the yokel. These cuts and breaks in the narrative are essential to grounding this feeling and theme of invisibility whilst at the same time allowing Ellison to create improvisation through the use of language. Such technique is central to the very framework of the novel. The novel itself flows like a piece of music, with one incident happening right after the other. Each incident offers a break, a certain point in which the protagonist is given a certain moment in which his identity and individuality are either challenged or asserted. Even so Ellison does not rely on merely the invisible man to convey the W.Bell calls the portrayal of ‘the historical quest of black American for identity in a society whose traditions simultaneously inspire and inhibit their impulse toward freedom and self-realization’.Characters like Trueblood immerge. Although he has committed the sin of incest, trueblood does not allow his guilt to bind him. He turns towards the blues for guidance and repentance. One can even say that trueblood turns inward, looking to himself and to what defines him as an individual. W.Bell says that ‘the courage and discipline that Trueblood discovers in the blues are essential values that the hero must learn by acknowledging his folk heritage’. The character of the junkman that the hero meets later in New York is also a reinforcement of the idea of the blues as being part of the cultural heritage of the black community. The idea of jazz and the blues and the power that they were able to distribute lies in their ability to parallel the then black life. Writing in ‘Living with music’ Ellison is quoted as saying ‘life could be harsh, loud and wrong if it wished, but they lived it fully and when they expressed their attitude toward the world it was with a fluid style that reduced the chaos of living to form’ This idea is reinforced through the meeting of the invisible man with the junkman who unlike Trueblood is not ultimately dismissed by the protagonist, ‘he had me grinning despite myself. I liked his words through I didn’t know the answer. Id known the stuff from childhood, but had forgotten it; had learned it back of school.’.Where as the tainted past of Trueblood causes the invisible man to cast him aside the quizzical performance of the junkman allows for him to grasp at his own heritage. A notion reinforced through the simple act of buying a baked yam from the street vendor soon afterwards.’ I yam what I am ’. It is these grasps at heritage and the acceptance of his own peoples strive for freedom that the invisible man must realise is the essential makeup of his quest for personal individuality and freedom. For they are, part of the make-up of who he is. What must also be noted is that throughout the novel and these incidents, the invisible man seems to have a certain type of plan that each time he strives to achieve. Yet as the novel progresses the plan changes. It is transformed from the mere wish of wanting to graduate and become as highly respected by the white community as Bledsoe. To wanting to work hard and be able to return to his school, to wanting assert himself within the brotherhood. To finally whilst in his hole, wanting only to assert his own humanity. In Ralph Ellison ‘The collected essays of Ralph Ellison. Ellison argues that it was the American dream that drove all Americans, ranging from different European nationalities to come to states and establish a better way of life. Even so, this was not the case for the then African slaves. Once freed these former slaves were now forced into finding a way of life that would enable them to be able to live within this European mix even though they were distinctively non-European. This, Ellison argues, resulted into an even more complex and thorough mix, eventually resulting in to the true beginnings of the American culture. Having no past in the art of Europe, they could use its elements and their inherited sense of style to improvise forms through which they could express their own unique sense of American experience. To Ellison this clearly was parallel to Jazz as it was the one form of art that could both explain and identify the American experience. Just like jazz uses improvisation, to piece together different instruments playing their own spontaneous versions of the chords that create a song, so did the many different cultures and cultural traditions come together to piece the American tradition. This piecing of the American culture and tradition is seen throughout the novel as the protagonists comes face to face with a variety of individuals, raging from different backgrounds that have all come together to form what is termed as ‘American’. Ellison comments in his ‘Shadow and Act’ that: ‘The Blues is an impulse to keep the painful details and episodes of a brutal experience alive in ones acting consciousness, to finger its jagged edge and to transcend it, not by consolation of philosophy but by squeezing from it a near-tragic, near comic lyricism. As a form the blues is an autobiographical chronicle of personal catastrophe expressed lyrically†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ In other words what Ellison is stating is that the blues offer another medium through which the philosophy of life is brought out. A philosophy as such that revolves through and around the complexities of improvisation. The crude or white-washed walls of science are completely disregarded by Ellison for a far more natural or artistic sense of being. Where ones path is life is defined by the tragedies and experiences he or she goes through, so that we are able to emerge triumphant in the end, whilst temporarily relying on the comforts of the present. This according to Ellison is the true essence of ones freedom of identity. Albert Murray further expands on this in ‘The hero and the blues’ stating that the blues present us with a near ancient tragedy sort of existence where the hero is able to persist through life and through whatever ugliness that life presents to him through what Murray calls ‘a device for making the best of a bad situation’. Such a philosophy can be partly seen through the grandfather’s words that the protagonist hears echoing through out the novel. His, the grandfathers, was a philosophy of yes-sing them. Such a philosophy may be on the surface regarded as a show of submission by the black man to the white mans dominance. Yet to the grandfather it was a way of survival. A way of like Murray says making the best out of a bad situation. In a world where the black community was regarded as lowly and inferior to the white community it is hard to see how a full on offensive would have helped in determine equality. In fact a full on offensive by the black man towards the white man would have left the black man poor, helpless and hungry. This show of submission is part of the grandfathers departing wisdom. A wisdom that urges our protagonist to fight in a defensive rather than offensive mode as this would be the fruitful result. This would be achieved by: ‘‘Live with your head in the lions mouth, I want you to overcome ‘em with yess, undermine’em with grins, agree’em to death and destruction, let ‘em swoller you till they vomit or bust open’’ Although not completely understood by the main protagonist the grandfather had imparted a rather sphinx like riddle of an advice that although appeared to be that of subjection was actually a means of survival. By urging his grandson to say yes he in not urging him to bow down to the white man but rather assert himself. He is saying ‘yes’ knowing that he has the power to say ‘no’. His ‘yes’ is a show of dignity, a statement stating that he is agreeing as a free man, not as a slave, and that that ‘yes’ is a means of survival. The grandfather is not the only one to have picked up on this idea of having to say ‘yes’ in order to survive. Bledsoe is another character who aims to ‘yeses’’ the entire white race to death. Yet the difference between Bledsoe and the grandfather is that Bledsoe does it through complete selfishness. This is the danger that as Bernard W.Bell says Ellison is ultimately implying. à ¢â‚¬Ëœ..the danger of compulsive individualism in a laissez-faire social system based on the conflicting principles of egalitarianism and racism.’ The hero’s grandfather’s words are elusive and open to a wide scope of interpretation, yet for Ellison this was the exact embodiment of the meaning of jazz. Jazz as seen in Ellison’s essay ‘The Charlie Christian Story’ was regarded by Ellison as an art of individual assertion within and against the group. Each true jazz moment springs from a contest in which each artist challenges all the rest; each solo flight or improvisation, represents a definition of his identity: as individual, as member of the collectivity and as a link in the chain of tradition. Thus because jazz finds its very life in an endless improvisation upon traditional materials, the jazzman must lose his identity even as he finds it. Ellison last words echo the very theme of the ‘the invisible man’ and the final act of the hero within the book. For in order to become visible Ellison’s hero has had to become invisible. And although our invisible man seems to have only become invisible by the end of the novel, what is conveyed through the hero himself is that he has been in fact invisible from the very beginning. This invisibility was a direct product of the white man, invisibility evoke through the hero’s blind faith in the white mans word. Although the novels hero does as his grandfather says ‘agree’em’, he does not ‘agree’em to death’. His ‘yeses’’ are ones that do not recognise his own individuality. The individuality of a black man who knows that although by agreeing the issue may not be confronted at least it is put out there. Another character in this novel that has the ability to say yes without being submissive is Mary. You have to take care of yourself, son. Don’t let this Harlem git you. I’m in New York, but New York ain’t in me, understand what I mean? Don’t git corrupted. Mary has chosen to agree in order to survive. Yet her agreement does not stretch as far as corruption ‘I’m in New York, but New York ain’t in me, understand what I mean? Don’t git corrupted’. Mary has created an ideology which allows for her survival, whilst at the same time ensuring her own honesty by not contradicting her own morals. These are the punches the yokel was able to find in order to outwit the prize fighter. These are the parallel examples to ‘the smart money hit the canvas. The long shot got the nod’. The anonymous letter received by the protagonist later on in the novel is the first time the protagonist says ‘yes’ without being submissive. This time his ‘yes’ is accompanied by resentment and fear. Tarps actions of giving his chain link to the invisible man and his words ‘don’t think of it in terms of but two words, yes and no; but it signifies a heap more’, offer another insight into the invisible mans grandfathers words. To be able to find the true meaning behind his grandfather’s word the invisible man chooses invisibility. This invisibility although offers a cloak of protection from the worlds corruption it, is unable to provide an escape from the workings of his own mind In going underground, I whipped it all except the mind, the mind. And the mind that has conceived a plan of living must never lose sight of the chaos against which that pattern was conceived. It is through the workings of the protagonists mind that the reader is told about his experiences and life. It is also through the workings of the same mind that allow the invisible man to come to conclusion. A conclusion which causes him to realise, that although he believed himself truly free he was never free from the workings of his mind. These processes or thoughts are the forces which lead him to realise that Gin, jazz and dreams were not enough. Books were not enough.† .By the end of the novel the invisible man has come to realise his grandfather words as part of his own social responsibility. It is at this point that the role of improvisation has diminished. The invisible man has come to relish his own social responsibility. A responsibility that embodies the individual yet at the same time re establishes the value of the community. A jazz player may improvise in a solo bringing out his own identity yet he must also work together with the rest of the group to bring out the larger part of the song. It is this larger part of the song, the bigger picture that allows for the protagonist to accept his social responsibilities. A bigger picture resulting not through, merely an understanding of improvisation but rather through the simple of act of forgiveness and love. It’s ’winner take nothing’ that is the great truth of our country or of any country. Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in the face of certain defeat. Our fate is to become one, and yet many.

Essay on Individual Verses Society in Song of Solomon -- Song Solomon

The Individual Verses Society in Song of Solomon    Toni Morrision's novel "Song of Solomon" contrasts the image of a self-made individual with that of an individual who is the product of his or her society. Since society changes, the man who simply reflects his social environment changes accordingly. But â€Å"the true individual's self-discovery depends on achieving consciousness of one's own nature and identity†(Middleton 81). This is what differentiates Pilate and Milkman from Macon and Guitar.   There are direct similarities between Milkman's and Pilate's self-discovery. They both achieve their individualistic spirit through travel, literal and symbolic. Not so for Guitar and Macon Dead jr. â€Å"Where Pilate's and Milkman's self-discovery is a journey of individuals, Guitar and Macon Dead Jr.are defined and determined by the kind of society they belong to†(Davis 225).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Milkman is the protagonist of the novel and also the embodiment of Morrison's notion of individual self-discovery.   Throughout his life Milkman is pulled in all directions by the people around him. His father wants him to work with him, his mother wants him to go to medical school, Hagar wants a serious relationship, Guitar wants him to accept the Seven Days. Milkman rejects all of these options and drifts away from those who want to direct his life. Milkman gains his self-awareness after he leaves Southside and travels to Shalimar. The journey through Danville profoundly changes him. He looses or damages all of his material possessions before he leaves Danville. â€Å"Milkman is symbolically stripped of all of the things that connect him to his life in Southside†(Davis 225). However, it is in Shalimar that he undergoes spiritual growth and gains se... ...dividual struggles for self-definition and self awareness is connected to the discovery of their heritage, their ancestors and their culture. Ultimately Milkman's flight is the discovery of his connection with his ancestry. Toni Morrison believes that individuality without community leads to egotism. But community without individuality is a community without a spirit. Guitar and Macon are conditioned by society. Pilate and Milkman are inspired by community. â€Å"Milkman's flight is not a flight away from responsibility it is a flight into true consciousness†(Middleton 113).    Works Cited: Davis, Cynthia A. "Self, Society, and Myth in Toni Morrison's Fiction." Contemporary Literature 23.3 (1982) Middleton, David. Toni Morrison's Fiction: Contemporary Criticism. New York: Garland, 1997. Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: The Penguin Group, 1997.

Coke Cola Face Csr Problem in India

(1)Indian government traditionally undervalue the business activities. Politics and leisure are gained more value than work. While in U. S. , American dream emphasis on working hard for personal value, business and politics gain the same social respect. (2)India has many political and legal issues with foreign investors. Indian law to some extent is ambiguous when handling the lawsuits with foreign investors,which may have been the reason causing problems for Coke’s operations in India? 3) Both countries may have different ways of doing businesses. Foreign investors should consider the fact that every culture is different and they need their own practices (polycentric), if Coke still thinks its American style of business operation is better and practices it in India(ethnocentric), the consumers in India will regard those practices as wrong and inappropriate. This could also have been the reason why India blame on the water contamination and shortage caused by Coke.Coke and Pep siAs the Indian people interpret silence as guilt, thus the representatives of Coke should response quickly: firstly, to apologize for the destroying of water resources in India, and then do some compensation for the local people. secondly,find ways independently or Corporate with authoritative NGOS to solve the problem. It is very important for Coke to built good reputation and consumer loyalty in international market. thirdly, learn from what Pepsi does: doing CSR such as digging village wells, trying best to reduce water waste,etc. these measures could help to interact with local people, improve relationships with government and the public.From global standardization to localization Change the style of advertisement to fit the flavor of Indian people. Add some Indian cultural factors to the can package. Take more CSR as what Pepsi did. Improving relationships with Indian government and the public. Start to communicate with local consumers, and response quickly. Because in India, keep silence means guilty,even though India and U. S. both speak English, because of different value, culture and social environment, miscommunication may exists; on the plus side, it is the best way to understand the need or complain of Coke's consumers. 1) MNCs should overcome Parochialism–view the world through their own perspectives, and the simplification–the process of exhibiting the same orientation toward different culture groups. Because doing things the same way in foreign markets as they are done in domestic markets may arise more conflicts when involving in cross-cultural management. In this case, Coke prefers individualism to achieve their own value in India, while India is a society respect more about politics than business, Coke did not improve the relationships with bureaucratic offices and finally it brings trouble to Coke about the pesticide findings.MNCs should set up unique human resource management system to fit for local employees, improve communi cation effectiveness to reduce misunderstanding among multicultural groups in the company, for example, to provide language and cultural training, to improve feedback system. Internally, to select CSR practices that fit with the company's existing capabilities; externally, work with NGOS, pragmatically respect local culture and protect the environment.

Gender Roles And Gender Role Conflict - 1769 Words

Similar results were found by researchers using clinical style-interviews and observational measures with 85 American men (Berger, Addis, Green, Mackowiak, Goldberg, 2013). Again, those who strongly endorsed masculine norms were less likely to seek help for mental health issues and displayed more negative reactions towards a suggestion that they seek treatment. The men interviewed were especially sensitive to stigma and reported not wanting to be ‘labelled’ or medicated. This attitude was particularly salient if the men indicated high levels of self-reliance. 1.2 Gender Role Conflict As can be seen in the research, when men strongly adhere to restrictive male gender roles and expectations of behaviour, there can be a conflict between what they feel is acceptable for them to do, and what may be most helpful for them to do, for example ‘toughing it out’ versus visiting a doctor. The concept of gender role conflict was first developed by James O Neil in the early 1980’s as a part of his research into why the socialized gender roles of men caused such conflict in men’s interpersonal, career, family, and health lives (O Neil, Helms, Gable, David, Wrightsman, 1986). Dr. O’Neil operationally defined gender role conflict as having four psychological domains, three situational concepts, and three personal experiences, which will be explored in more detail. The interaction between these three components illustrates the complexity of gender role conflict and its effect on menShow MoreRelatedGender Roles And Family Conflict1024 Words   |à ‚  5 PagesGender roles vary from family to family, and for my family, they are a combination of many different types. For my childhood, I was raised nontraditional in the sense of masculinity and femininity. I had Barbies ©, Tonka Trucks ©, kitchen sets, and legos. I was never told that Barbies © were only for girls and that Tonka Truck © were only for guys. From traditional to nontraditional roles, I have been raised to be my own and unique individual. When I was younger, I was raised in a very nontraditionalRead More Society, Gender Roles and Gender-Conflict Essay example1789 Words   |  8 PagesSociety, Gender Roles and Gender-Conflict Time and time again gender-conflict is brought to the attention of the public in various forms. In our time someone who wants to make a point about gender-conflict and the inequality that is present will be more likely to use television or song to reach their audience. This however is a fairly new technology. Books or some form of writing on the other hand have been around for thousands of years. Gender-conflict is nothing new. It is not as though oneRead MoreGender Roles and Conflicts Expressed in Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse.2048 Words   |  9 PagesGender Roles and Conflicts Expressed in Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse Time and time again, gender-conflict has continued to be a focal issue. Since the beginning of time, this dilemma has been articulated through novels or other various forms of writing. It is now brought to the publics attention in forms such as the news, radio and the workplace. Habitually asked, are the age old questions of: what is a mans place in society?, what is a womans place in society?, or is there a specificRead MoreUnderstanding The Link Between Gender Role Conflict, Resilience, And Victimization997 Words   |  4 PagesYouth within this nation and the world have faced many difficulties in life. This leads to the problem of suicide. Within the article Understanding the Link Between Gender Role Conflict, Resilience, and Propensity for Suicide in Adolescent and Emerging Adult Males, multiple authors focuses mainly on suicide rates in adolescent males. Suicide is a major contribution to death among people between the ages 10-24 with â€Å"28.5% of youth ages 10-24 feeling fr equent sadness or hopelessness, 13% making a suicideRead MoreConflict Analysis And Peacebuilding Planning Essay1143 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent contexts in East Africa, gender dimensions are often overlooked in conflict analysis and peacebuilding work. I believe that, as peacebuilders, understanding gender dynamics in conflict context would not only enrich our level of analysis, it would also help to come-up-with comprehensive and sustainable peacebuilding plan. In this essay, I will reflect on the conflict, gender and peacebuilding lens discussed in Lisa Schirch’s book (Chapter 9): Conflict Assessment and Peacebuilding Planning:Read MoreRole Of Women During The 19th- Century South Africa1686 Words   |  7 PagesRESEARCH QUESTION: Research the role of women in late 19th- century South Africa to find out more about what life would have been like for three characters, show in your essay how society’s expectations of women influenced these characters conflicts with men. What does Mathee want readers to understand about the power of women? Introduction: Summary of Research Before the colonization in South Africa, men and women stood hand and hand together, not behind or in front, but togetherRead MoreRaising Cain Essay1312 Words   |  6 Pagesneed for connection and his desire for autonomy finds different expression as a boy grows. But, regardless of their age, most boys are ill-prepared for the challenges along the road to becoming an emotionally healthy adult. Whatever role biology plays (and that role is by no means clear) in the ways boys are characteristically different from girls in their emotional expression, those differences are amplified by a culture that supports emotional development of girls and discourages it for boys. Read MoreConflicts And Conflict Resolution Process1671 Words   |  7 PagesConflicts are inevitable in any human s’ interaction which makes their occurrence normal in the workplace. Conflict can be caused by imbalance of power and communication barriers that arise from the social structure or individu al interpersonal’ perceptions, assumptions and expectations. The interpersonal conflict has a huge impact on the individual himself and extends to the workplace. The Human Resources (HR) role comes in light to attempt to help in the conflict resolution process. Human resourcesRead MoreFactors that May Lead to Work-life Conflict1526 Words   |  6 PagesBureau of Statistics 2011). Therefore, this essay will focus on managing the work-life conflict, since it has negative effects on job satisfaction and performances. There are two forms of work-life conflict, work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC). It is defined as an interrole confliction, which is the participation of one role leading to difficulties of another role, such as work and family role (Greenhaus Beutell, 1985 as cited by Premeaux et al., 2007). The following essayRead MoreGender Equality And Sexual Equality967 Words   |  4 PagesGender equality refers to sexual equality that men and wom en should receive equal treatment as well as equal pay in the work place. Nor should they be discriminated against based on their gender. It can also be referred to as equality of the genders. It basically seeks to create equality in law and in social situations. Gender equality is also working to be present in political activities and securing equal pay in the work place. Gender inequality has gotten a lot better over the years and continues