Read this when
Invisible Man
'I am an invisible man.' Not because nobody's looking, but because they only see what they expect. Ellison wrote the manual for being tokenized in 1952.
Who it's for
The narrator starts out desperate to be the 'good' student and loyal member, and the reader watches every institution he trusts (the college, the paint factory, the Brotherhood) use him as a role and never see him.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Invisible Man is Ralph Ellison's 1952 novel, narrated by an unnamed African-American man from an underground room lit with stolen electricity. He recalls his life from a degrading 'battle royal' and a scholarship to a Southern college, to his expulsion and journey to New York with recommendation letters that turn out to be deceptive.
Where to find it
In print; widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain in the US. Frequently taught, so used copies are easy to find.
Before you start
Heads up: Incest account and racist violence.
Age: Ages 16+
We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—Paul Laurence Dunbar, “We Wear the Mask”
