The Symbolic Briefcase in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man...

The Symbolic Briefcase in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man The narrator of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is the victim of his own naivetà ©. Throughout the novel he trusts that various people and groups are helping him when in reality they are using him for their own benefit. They give him the illusion that he is useful and important, all the while running him in circles. Ellison uses much symbolism in his book, some blatant and some hard to perceive, but nothing embodies the oppression and deception of the white hierarchy surrounding him better than his treasured briefcase, one of the most important symbols in the book. The briefcase is introduced in the very first chapter. The narrator receives it after giving a speech endorsing†¦show more content†¦No matter where it sends him, for as long as the narrator carries that briefcase, he is jerked around like a puppet on a string, kept running by all those for whom that message was meant. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the items the narrator stores in the briefcase are just as important and telling as the briefcase itself. First, there are Bledsoe’s letters. Bledsoe, the president of the college, expels the narrator, telling him to go to New York City to find work. He gives the narrator letters of recommendation and promises that he can return to the college after the summer. The narrator optimistically stuffs the letters into his briefcase and journeys to New York only to find himself ignored by the men for whom the letters are intended. After delivering his last letter, he discovers the truth of Bledsoe’s â€Å"recommendation.† Bledsoe has written in each letter that the narrator shall â€Å"never, under any circumstances, be enrolled as a student here again† (190). He also writes to ask â€Å"that he continue undisturbed in these vain hopes while remaining as far as possible from our midst† (191). The narrator disc overs that Bledsoe’s letters were only meant to keep him chasing his own tail. Another item the narrator stores in his briefcase is a coin bank. Right before he is about to leave Mary (the kind lady who gives him refuge in New York) to join the Brotherhood, the narrator notices a â€Å"cast-iron figureShow MoreRelatedEssay on Use of the Bird Motif in Invisible Man2374 Words   |  10 PagesUse of the Bird Motif in Invisible Man      Ã‚  Ã‚   Abstract: According to A Handbook to Literature, motif refers to a recurrent repetition of some word, phrase, situation, or idea, such as tends to unify a work through its power to recall earlier occurrences (264). One such type of motif which has seemed to receive less critical attention is Ellisons treatment of birds.  Ã‚   Hence, my aim in this essay is to examine the references to birds in Invisible Man, attempting to show how Ellison uses theRead MoreBiographical Information : Ralph Waldo Ellison1960 Words   |  8 PagesBiographical Information: Ralph Waldo Ellison was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 1, 1914. He passed away on April 16, 1994 in New York, New York. The Book Invisible Man Published in 1952 focused on an African-American civil rights worker from the South who, upon his move to New York, becomes increasingly alienated due to the racism he encounters. The narrator seeks to act according to the values and expectations of his immediate social group, but he finds himself continuously unable toRead More Invisible Man Essay: The Phases of Invisibility2008 Words   |  9 PagesInvisibility in Invisible Man      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To be invisible is to be unable to be seen by anyone without artificial aid.   The invisible man is more impossible to locate than the proverbial needle in a haystack.   In Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man, the main character, I., progresses through various phases of symbolic invisibility.      The story begins with I. recounting the various steps and incidents that led him to realize his invisibility.   I.s grandfather was a meek and humble man, and thereforeRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance And Its Impact On Ralph Ellison s Book The Invisible Man Essay2165 Words   |  9 Pagesimpact on Ralph Ellison’s book The Invisible Man. This paper will illustrate how the Harlem Renaissance assisted the African-American intellectual community to gain acceptance in mainstream America and prompted the writing of the book The Invisible Man, written by Ralph Ellison. Throughout this paper, I will examine the social context and climate of Ellison’s work. This paper will focus on the experience of a young African American man who claims to be invisible. However, the young man argues that