Running in Chapter 1
One theme throughout Invisible Man is the idea that the narrator is running. Running from many things, his true identity, the world around him, and his past. He seems to be running until he finally falls into his hole to slow down and see what has actually happened. There are many explicit statements of this idea of running, and several implicit uses of symbolism to show this. This starts even with the first chapter of the novel.
One example of an explicit mention of running from discovering his identity can be found on the last page of the first chapter. Ellison writes, "'To Whom It May Concern,' I intoned. 'Keep This Boy Running'" (33). In this quote the narrator has a dream where he opens his briefcase with his grandfather, and instead of finding the the scholarship he finds envelope within envelope with the last one reading the quote above. Here, the narrator himself clearly knows that he is trying to be kept running, yet he doesn't even what that means and what he should do about it.
Only two paragraphs earlier, the narrator says that he felt safe from his grandfather's statement which he had been haunted by, with every one of his achievements. Ironically, this particular achievement kept him running for a long time, and it was the first achievement where he hadn't felt like he was playing along with a white man's society. The narrator receiving the scholarship and going to college is exactly what they wealthy wanted him to do.
Another more implicit piece of symbolism in chapter one is how the narrator had to first participate in a battle royal to get his reward. They keep control over him and make him run so that he can get meaningful things in life. This is exactly what the narrator's grandfather articulated, except that the narrator does not realize the reason he is getting rewarded is because he is playing along in their game.
Symbolism of the narrator's blindness continues throughout the novel, but at the same time the narrator progresses himself. In every chapter the novel presents an experience for the narrator in which he grows more aware of the world around him. Chapter one sets the baseline level of highest invisibility and it gradually decreases as one reads the book.
Lukas, great post! Your multifaceted interpretation of the running motif in Invisible Man was refreshing to read. I enjoyed how you added another layer of complexity to the narrator's identity as the "Running Man." Not only does society aim to keep the narrator running, he is also running away from something himself, and both those motivations stop the narrator from fully understanding his identity. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog post! One idea that you brought up that I found especially interesting was that the narrator is running from many things, one of them being his “true identity.” I hadn’t thought about it like this before, but I completely agree! Like you mentioned, the only point he can really stop running is when he falls into the whole. This, I think, is the moment that the narrator is really able to find himself and understand or accept himself and his identity as an invisible man. He cannot run any longer physically (or perhaps it would be better to say that he is not forced to run any longer, being “underground” and away from society), but metaphorically, he also no longer runs/does not have to run from his identity and who he is too.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Awesome blog post!
This is a great post! I really liked your interpretation of the narrator as a running man and how that translated throughout the book. Finishing the post off with connecting the idea of running to an idea of movement and growth throughout the novel shows the progression of the narrators idea of his own identity. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteAwesome job on this post, Lukas. The concept of running in this novel is manifest in both metaphorical and physical ways, such as through the example of buying new shoes. I really liked how the idea of running is connected to the narrator’s character development. Good job!
ReplyDeleteNice post Lukas Grosse Perdekamp! I really like how you explored this reoccurring theme of the running man, and how the narrator is kept running by different things and different people as the story progresses. Great job!
ReplyDeleteNice post! I like how you were able to walk us through the reoccurring theme of running in the novel and then transition into his blindness. I think you made a lot of great points that really reflect all the hidden symbols Ellison gave us in each chapter.
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