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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 4 page essay that discusses Ellison's use of symbolism and imagery in the first chapter of his novel Invisible Man. The writer argues that this is a psychologically complex account of naïve youth and racial prejudice. Examination of the symbolism and imagery that Ellison uses in this account demonstrates that Ellison intends for the reader to comprehend what his young narrator does not yet fully see, which is the depth, breadth and virulence of white racial hatred. No additional sources cited.
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4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khrebr2.rtf
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Royal." Examination of the symbolism and imagery that Ellison uses in this account demonstrates that Ellison intends for the reader to comprehend what his young narrator does not yet fully
see, which is the depth, breadth and virulence of white racial hatred. The young man begins by relating his background and his grandfather, an ex-slave, called him to his
deathbed and told him that "our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days" (Ellison 2218). Instead of living as he had, abiding by
white rules, his grandfather tells the boy to "Live with your head in the lions mouth." (Ellison 2218). The boy is basically confused by his grandfathers instruction to "let em
swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open" (Ellison 2219). He is warned emphatically to forget his grandfathers dying words, but he cannot. As this suggests, in the first
half of the story, Ellison establishes the cultural conflict that existed between black aspirations and black reality. It was, quite literally, dangerous for a black person to step even a
toe outside of the strict boundaries that delineated what was considered "proper" behavior for black people. The narrator has been raised to think of these restrictions as right and normal,
and is confused by his grandfathers sudden rejection of this template of behavior as "treachery." The grandfather says to live with his head in the "lions mouth," that is, to
take risks and assert himself against their enemy, with whom they are at "war," the white man. Ellisons young narrator does not realize this as yet and says how
he was praised by the "most lily-white men of the town" (2219) for his graduation speech. He is asked to give the speech again before some of the towns leading
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