Blindness is a topic in many African American novels published in the middle of the 20th century. However, this does not mean that black protagonists are over-averaged disabled. The inability of seeing refers more to a special type of blindness: a psychical one. This kind of disablement is “a matter of the construction of [the] inner eyes, those eyes with which [one] look[s] through [the] physical eyes upon reality” (Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. London: Penguin Books, 1965. p.7).
It is a way of refusing to recognise people and their character traits, which African Americans were often confronted with. This ignorance of the - mainly - “white” society is picked out as a central theme in many African American novels and, therefore, it will be the topic of this publishing. To prove this thesis, the following analysis will examine some example scenes from Ralph Ellison’s 1952 published novel Invisible Man. As one single book is not sufficient to establish a thesis for a whole genre, additionally scenes from Richard Wright’s 1940 published novel Native Son and Ann Petry’s 1946 published novel The Street will be briefly analysed. Even though a comparison between all three novels would have been interesting as well, this work will take its main focus on one single novel, to go as deeply into detail as the limited space allows, instead of giving only a cursory overview of different works. For the same reason, this work will not contain a summary of the discussed novels as these are expected to be known.
As the title of the work probably raises the expectation of an analysis of the physical blindness, this topic will be worked out in the second chapter, concentrating on Invisible Man, and, later on, briefly on Native Son. The attempts to point out its metaphorical meaning and to connect this with the psychical blindness will be made.
The main part of the analysis will be the examination of the psychical blindness that affects the main protagonist as well as the minor characters of Invisible Man. A closer look will be taken at the repeated eye-metaphors as well as at the function of the telling names. Referring to the title of the book, the attempt to answer the question, if invisibility is a result of blindness, will be made.
To prove that Ellison’s novel is not the only one that deals with the topic of blindness, the fourth and fifth chapter will deal with Petry’s and Wright’s novels that were published in the same period.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Physical blindness
3. Psychical blindness
3.1 Meaning of psychical blindness
3.2 The eye-metaphors
3.2.1 The blindfolds
3.2.2 The third eye
3.2.3 Rinehard’s sunglasses
3.3 Telling names
3.3.1 Reverend Homer A. Barbee
3.3.2 Brother Jack
3.4 Invisibility as a result of blindness?
4. Native Son
4.1 Physical blindness
4.2 Psychical blindness
4.2.1 Bigger’s own blindness
4.2.2 The blindness of Bigger’s surrounding
5. The Street
5.1 The blindness of Lutie’s surrounding
5.2 Lutie’s own blindness
5.3 Telling names
5.3.1 Mrs. Hedges
5.3.2 Min
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the pervasive metaphor of blindness in African American literature of the mid-20th century, specifically analyzing how physical and psychical blindness contribute to the marginalization and "invisibility" of black protagonists. The research investigates whether societal prejudices effectively render these characters invisible by refusing to acknowledge their individual humanity, exploring this phenomenon through critical close readings of major literary works.
- The distinction and interplay between physical and psychical blindness.
- The use of eye-metaphors and "telling names" to characterize social blindness.
- Comparative analysis of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, Richard Wright's Native Son, and Ann Petry's The Street.
- The impact of racial stereotypes and societal prejudice on individual identity.
- The potential for characters to regain "sight" or consciousness despite their environment.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2.1 The blindfolds
Ellison uses several metaphors of sight and blindness to stress the importance of this topic. The first important happening of the novel – the battle royal – carries out the image of blinded persons, in form of blindfolds that the black boys have to wear during the fight (Ellison, p. 22). To intensify the entertainment for the white society they have decided that it would not be enough to let the boys simply fight against each other but to let them fight blind. The boys do not recognise their exploitation; they believe they will get compensation in form of money and gold for their fighting and feel even some kind of pleasure during the fight. They are unable to notice that they were only used for the amusement of others and obey the instructions of the people outside the ring, still convinced that they will be rewarded for their efforts during the fight. Even though they experience with their own bodies that the gold bars are put under electric power, they still try to grab them, blind to the fact that this kind of wealth is unreachable for them.
Because the reader does not get an insight view of the blindfolded boys, he has to rely on the comments of the narrator about their feelings. The narrator perceives that the blindfold makes him unable to control his emotions (Ellison, p. 23) and that this is probably the explanation for the brutal behaviour of the other boys. Everyone is fighting against everyone and no one remembers that they have been friends before and that friends have to stick together. They just want to please the audience that gets increasingly into rage as well as the boys get increasingly brutal. The irony is that not only the boys are blinded by the blindfolds and the “upper society”, but also the “upper society” is blind to recognise that these boys are human beings that have feelings and emotions. As a result of the blindness on both sides, the situation runs out of control, because nobody is able to see a way to stop it.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the thesis that blindness—both physical and psychical—serves as a central theme in mid-20th-century African American novels to symbolize social exclusion.
2. Physical blindness: Analyzes characters like Rev. Homer A. Barbee, Brother Jack, and Mrs. Dalton to demonstrate how their physical disabilities function as symbols of deeper psychical blindness in those around them.
3. Psychical blindness: Examines the internal and external blindness of the narrator in Invisible Man through extensive use of eye-metaphors and the symbolic function of character names.
4. Native Son: Explores how Richard Wright employs blindness to characterize Bigger Thomas's limited worldview and the prejudiced perceptions of the society that eventually leads to his tragic downfall.
5. The Street: Discusses how Ann Petry conveys blindness without physical impairment, focusing on the psychical blindness caused by societal prejudice and the struggle of the protagonist, Lutie, to maintain her identity.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes that all three novels use blindness to warn against accepting superficial appearances and to advocate for a "deeper sight" to avoid the harms of prejudice.
Keywords
African American literature, Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, Ann Petry, Invisibility, Psychical blindness, Physical blindness, Social prejudice, Eye-metaphors, Telling names, Identity, Marginalization, Narrative symbolism, Native Son, The Street.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic work?
The paper explores how the motif of blindness is used in African American novels to critique the social invisibility of black individuals, focusing on the difference between physical impairment and psychical blindness caused by prejudice.
Which central thematic areas are explored?
The main themes include the societal refusal to recognize black humanity, the function of symbolic objects like blindfolds and sunglasses, and the power of language and names in defining character traits.
What is the primary research objective?
The goal is to determine if the protagonist's invisibility is an inevitable outcome of the surrounding society's blindness or a result of complex interpersonal dynamics.
What scientific methods are applied?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis approach, conducting close readings of representative scenes from the selected novels to interpret symbolic imagery and its effects on the narrative.
What does the main body of the paper address?
The main body breaks down the metaphorical use of sight in Ellison's Invisible Man, Wright's Native Son, and Petry's The Street, providing detailed examinations of eye-metaphors and the significance of naming conventions.
Which terms best characterize this research?
Keywords include African American literature, invisibility, psychical blindness, social prejudice, symbolic narrative, and identity formation.
How does the "third eye" metaphor function in Ellison's work?
In the context of the paint factory scene, the "third eye" represents the narrator's state of being under observation and surveillance, highlighting his misplaced trust in those who ironically claim to care for him while exploiting him.
What is significant about the naming of Mrs. Hedges?
The name "Hedges" is a "telling name" that symbolizes her intransparency and the metaphorical barrier she builds around herself to protect her from the outside world, paralleling the social barriers she faces.
Does the author conclude that blindness always leads to invisibility?
The author concludes that while social blindness frequently contributes to invisibility, it is not an absolute rule; rather, it is a complex social interaction where both society and the individual play roles, suggesting that a "deeper sight" is required to challenge these prejudices.
- Quote paper
- Stefanie Krause (Author), 2006, Invisibility in african american novels, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/66824
