The Bingo King Ralph Ellison Analysis
In “The Bingo King”, by Ralph Ellison is a story about a man who is waiting for a bingo game to start. He is from the South and now lives in the north. He is unable to get a job because he does not have a birth certificate. He is playing a bingo game in the hopes of winning enough money to pay for a doctor for his wife, Laura. As the man calls out ‘bingo’ he is told to go on stage and spin the wheel which would reveal his winnings. For him to win the jackpot he has to press a button and if it stops at a double zero then he wins the money. Although he knows that a quick press to the button is the best strategy, he can’t seem to let go it no matter how hard he tries. As he stands on stage he feels empowered to control his own outcome and he
…show more content…
As the ‘Bingo King’ waits for the game to start he starts to think about eating or drink some alcohol. This part of the story shows the ‘Bingo King’s’ isolation from others and concentration to win. He is in the ‘unfriendly’ North, which he repeatedly contrasts to the friendlier South, we see this when he describes, “Folks down south stuck together…; they didn’t even have to know you” (Ellison 228). As the ‘Bingo King’ feels unwanted in his new found home he is constantly reminded of the tough times he is facing because of his unemployment and need of money. As the ‘Bingo King’ is taken from the dark seating area into the bright light of the stage he stands in the light and holds down the button, he experiences a revelation. The ‘Bingo King’s’ awakening with light allows the setting to mirror his state of mind. He feels as if this light is a sign of his better days as long as he wins the jackpot. The setting of the stage allows the reader to see how ‘The Bingo King’ is detached from his surroundings. As he tries to win the jackpot he loses sight of what is real and goes in a daydream like state. He visions himself as the King of the game and only he knows how to win the jackpot. The light reflects his ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and makes the reader to feel sympathy for him. In the end when the curtain comes down on the
As the ‘Bingo King’ waits for the game to start he starts to think about eating or drink some alcohol. This part of the story shows the ‘Bingo King’s’ isolation from others and concentration to win. He is in the ‘unfriendly’ North, which he repeatedly contrasts to the friendlier South, we see this when he describes, “Folks down south stuck together…; they didn’t even have to know you” (Ellison 228). As the ‘Bingo King’ feels unwanted in his new found home he is constantly reminded of the tough times he is facing because of his unemployment and need of money. As the ‘Bingo King’ is taken from the dark seating area into the bright light of the stage he stands in the light and holds down the button, he experiences a revelation. The ‘Bingo King’s’ awakening with light allows the setting to mirror his state of mind. He feels as if this light is a sign of his better days as long as he wins the jackpot. The setting of the stage allows the reader to see how ‘The Bingo King’ is detached from his surroundings. As he tries to win the jackpot he loses sight of what is real and goes in a daydream like state. He visions himself as the King of the game and only he knows how to win the jackpot. The light reflects his ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and makes the reader to feel sympathy for him. In the end when the curtain comes down on the