Invisible Man

In the novel Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison uses recurring events to prove its vital significance to the overall theme. Ellison’s writing style of incorporating recurring events makes it evident to the reader that there is something more than what is being described or stated. The recurring events that reveal a more potent meaning is the narrator receiving letters intended to give him meaningful advice and the narrator also being controlled by a higher authority. These two particular events compare to a greater intensity of understanding the illusion of freedom and the deceptions associated with it. Ralph Ellison chooses to use the struggle between two races that have much historical meaning of one group being the oppressed and the other as …show more content…
Already by the setting, it is apparent that race is a major aspect within the novel, and how it interacts with the central message. In the beginning of the novel, the narrator has a dream and within that dream and he opens an envelope within an envelope containing a letter to what appears to be advice for the narrator. The letter states, “To Whom It May Concern: . . . Keep This Nigger-Boy Running.” This phrase is found in an envelope within an envelope and it reaches a letter that says that phrase. This relates to when white people are always making something happen, whether it be an event, job, or task, for the “nigger boy” to distract them from real life situations like racism or the fact that they are not receiving fair, or equal treatment. This recurring event of the narrator receiving a word of advice through a letter happens later in the novel when Brother Jack sends the narrator an anonymous note. Within this note, it is stated, “This is advice from a friend who has been watching you closely. Do not go too fast...You are from the South and you know that this is a white man's world... do not want you to go too fast and will cut you down if you do. Be smart…” By this anonymous note, it seems as if the person behind it …show more content…
The narrator wanted to be like Dr. Bledsoe for the fact that he was a well accomplished man and head of the college that he went to. In attempts to save the reputation of the college, Dr Bledsoe sent the narrator to New York City, as a way to punish the narrator for hurting his ties with the association Of Mr. Norton, a white man, and the college. Dr. Bledsoe sends him to New York City, making him believe that he wants him to take time off and gives him recommendation letters to give to the employers on NYC. Dr. Bledsoe also instructs him not to read it. He then reads it after Mr. Emerson's son reveals to him that the recommendation letters aren't in his favor. Dr.Bledsoe has written in those letters that and remove the narrator far away from there.the narrator is permanently expelled and cannot return back to the college and he had to protect the college, A man that the narrator trusted, turned out to be duplicitous and deceiving of his true intentions. At this point readers can see how the narrator was controlled by Dr. Bledsoe and was simply disposed of because he was seen to be of no more use to one of a higher authority.This is also seen in the novel when the narrator meets Brother Jack and joins the Brotherhood. As the narrator associates himself with the Brotherhood, he finally receives all that