Invisible Man Reading The Work #3
As the narrator makes his journey to New York, he begins to truly understand the social divide that exists between North and South. This becomes clear even on the bus ride there where the narrator encounters the veteran who insulted Mr. Norton back at the bar who is being similarly “banished” from the South. Although he is being shipped off to another asylum and by societal standards he should not be listened to, he is the only person who isn’t just trying to project their own ideals onto him. In what seems like the best advice the narrator receives comes when the veteran says, “Come out of the fog young man. And remember you don’t have to be a complete fool in order to succeed. Play the game, but don’t believe in it-- that much you owe yourself. Even if that lands you in a straight jacket or a padded cell”(153). This reminded me heavily of MLK who was one of those people willing to take risks including being thrown in jail and eventually being shot. He was a prime example of someone who didn’t sit back and it provided major change for black people. Although it is harsh, there is a clear message that Ellison is laying out which is that there is no winning for black people. At least with this message the narrator can try and become someone who makes a change and not just sit back content with what he has.














