In an attempt to place Ralph Waldo Ellison’s novel Invisible Man within a
Modernist framework, Berndt Ostendorf writes,
‘Ellison … is a “Spätling,” a latecomer to Modernism. … Ellison’s Modernism
… is not one of crisis and despair, but of innovation and hope. He accepts the
discipline implied in [Ezra Pound’s] slogan “make it new,” but rejects the
cultural pessimism of his ancestors.’1
Although Ostendorf’s description is right insofar that Ellison’s work is optimistic in its
outcome rather than as pessimistic as the majority of modernist novels, it does not seem
to be in agreement with the term Modernism in general. Isn’t modernist literature
usually called a ‘literature of … crisis’?2 Isn’t Modernism said to feature ‘elements of
cultural apocalypse’ rather than the hope Ostendorf mentions?3 And: Doesn’t
Ostendorf’s statement resemble a definition of Postmodernism rather than Modernism?
In fact, Ellison’s novel is hard to categorize. Critics agree that Invisible Man includes
characteristics of different literary periods. Malcolm Bradbury, for instance, says the
novel mixes ‘naturalism, expressionism, and surrealism’ and thereby places it
somewhere between Modernism and Postmodernism.4 As these two terms are
problematic as far as their definitions are concerned, this essay will begin by naming
some of the key characteristics of both periods. Later on, the essay will point out a
number of typically postmodern features that Ellison integrates into Invisible Man and
give examples from the novel itself. Eventually, the essay will discuss whether Invisible
Man should be considered a modernist or postmodernist novel.
1 Berndt Ostendorf, ‘Anthropology, Modernism, and Jazz’, in Harold Bloom, Ralph
Ellison, Chelsea House Publishers, 1986, pp. 161 - 164
2 Peter Childs, Modernism, Routledge, 2000, p.14
3 Malcolm Bradbury in A Dictionary of Modern Critical Terms, ed. Roger Fowler, as
quotes in Childs, Op. Cit., p. 2
4 Malcolm Bradbury, The Modern American Novel, 2nd edition, Oxford University
Press, 1992, p. 166
Table of Contents
1. Postmodernist Features in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man
2. Bibliography
3. NOTES
Objectives and Topics
This essay investigates whether Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man should be categorized as a modernist or a postmodernist work. It explores how the narrator's quest for identity and his encounters with fragmentation, multiple selves, and simulated realities align with or reject the core tenets of both literary movements.
- Comparison of Modernist and Postmodernist definitions
- Analysis of the concept of "fragmentation"
- Examination of multiple identities and self-hood
- Discussion of simulation and hyperreality
- Evaluation of the novel as a meta-narrative
Excerpt from the Book
One of the most important concepts that Postmodernism embraces is that of the existence of a multitude of selves.
While modernists still held to the idea that there is a discoverable centre, a wholeness which can be found amidst the increasing awareness of fragmentation, postmodernists claim that such a discovery is impossible because there is no wholeness to discover at all. They reject the notion of the unified, rational human subject. In fact, postmodernists believe that every person consists of multiple selves that interact and that change at any moment.
In Ellison’s novel Invisible Man, it is not the narrator, but rather a minor character that represents this concept. After Tod Clifton’s funeral, the nameless narrator is pursued by followers of Ras the Exhorter. As soon as he puts on dark glasses and a hat, people mistake him for a man named Rinehart, who, as the narrator soon discovers, must have a multitude of selves. For instance, women approach the narrator confusing him with their lover, and ‘a couple of hipsters’ ask him what he is ‘putting down’ (389). Moreover, Barrelhouse calls him ‘Poppa-stopper’ and assumes he is looking for trouble (390). In fact, Barrelhouse even asks the disguised narrator to ‘get out of [his] joint and stay out’ because he ‘just can’t stand trouble,’ and adds: ‘And Rine, … don’t go to try to pull no pistol either because [my own gun] is loaded and I got a permit’ (393-4). The longer the narrator keeps on his sunglasses, the more identities does he discover. To him, this experience is at once fascinating, shocking and confusing.
Summary of Chapters
1. Postmodernist Features in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man: This chapter defines the characteristics of Modernism and Postmodernism and examines the narrator's internal conflict and shifting identities in relation to these two literary frameworks.
2. Bibliography: This section lists the primary and secondary sources used to support the literary analysis of the novel.
3. NOTES: This section provides the detailed references and citations supporting the claims and quotations made throughout the essay.
Keywords
Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Modernism, Postmodernism, Fragmentation, Identity, Multiple Selves, Hyperreality, Simulation, Jean-François Lyotard, Jean Baudrillard, Meta-narrative, Rinehart, Self-hood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines whether Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is better classified as a modernist or postmodernist novel by analyzing the narrator’s experiences with societal fragmentation and identity.
What are the central thematic fields explored in this study?
The study centers on literary history, specifically the transition between Modernism and Postmodernism, focusing on themes like the loss of objective truth, the nature of the self, and the distinction between reality and simulation.
What is the primary objective of this analysis?
The primary objective is to evaluate if Ellison’s work conforms to postmodern ideas of the "fragmented self" or if it maintains a modernist longing for unity and completeness.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are utilized?
The essay utilizes literary theory and criticism, drawing upon concepts from thinkers like Jean-François Lyotard, Jean Baudrillard, and Peter Barry to dissect the narrative structure and characters of the novel.
What specific topics are covered in the main body?
The main body discusses the "multitude of selves" concept through the character of Rinehart, the narrator’s own identity shifts, and the analysis of simulated reality (hyperreality) as seen in scenes with Dr. Bledsoe.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Modernism, Postmodernism, fragmentation, identity, simulation, and meta-narrative.
How does the character of Rinehart illustrate Postmodernism?
Rinehart represents the "postmodern, fragmented self" because he possesses infinite identities and lives in a world of pure possibility without boundaries, which the narrator initially finds fascinating.
Why does the author conclude that the novel is ultimately Modernist?
The author concludes that because the narrator consciously rejects the "Rinehartesque" life and seeks completeness and unity, he remains a modernist character who provides a meta-narrative for the reader.
- Quote paper
- Nina Dietrich (Author), 2003, Postmodernist Features in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/19972
