

#627
Mentioned in 30 episodes
Invisible Man
Book • 1952
In 'Invisible Man,' Ralph Ellison tells the story of a nameless black protagonist who navigates the surreal and often hostile world of 20th-century America.
The novel begins with the narrator living in an underground room, reflecting on his life and the various ways he has experienced social invisibility.
He recounts his journey from a small Southern town to Harlem, involving experiences with racism, a brutal 'battle royal,' and his involvement with the Brotherhood, a civil rights group.
The narrative delves into themes of identity, power, and the struggle for self-definition in a society that refuses to see him.
Through his experiences, the narrator grapples with the complexities of being a black man in America, ultimately leading to a profound exploration of invisibility and the search for one's true self.
The novel begins with the narrator living in an underground room, reflecting on his life and the various ways he has experienced social invisibility.
He recounts his journey from a small Southern town to Harlem, involving experiences with racism, a brutal 'battle royal,' and his involvement with the Brotherhood, a civil rights group.
The narrative delves into themes of identity, power, and the struggle for self-definition in a society that refuses to see him.
Through his experiences, the narrator grapples with the complexities of being a black man in America, ultimately leading to a profound exploration of invisibility and the search for one's true self.
Mentioned by






















Mentioned in 30 episodes
Mentioned by 

as an inspiration for his book, highlighting the theme of invisibility and the need for recognition.


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when discussing the experience of the main character in 'The Truce'.


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as a book that taught her to see the world from others' perspectives.


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in the context of invisibility and its corrupting influence.

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as a book that taught her not to judge people.


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as an example of a book with a great first line.


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as the epigraph of his book on Clarence Thomas.

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, quoting that sometimes invisibility is a refusal to see.

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as ![undefined]()

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while discussing the feeling of invisibility and its impact on society.


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Mentioned by 

as a beautiful book about a Black man coming of age in 1950s America.


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Mentioned by ![undefined]()

and ![undefined]()

in relation to Obama's memoir and the influence of Ellison's work on the themes of identity and self-creation.

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when discussing the feeling of being free of illusions.


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in relation to James Baldwin's first novel.


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in a story about the writer encountering a Civil War monument at Harvard.


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Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as the author of 'Invisible Man', whose opening passage serves as an epigraph for his book.

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