This section of Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison focuses heavily on themes brought up in Fanon’s writing (as well as that of other authors we have read so far); namely the interplay of visibility and vision with perception and consciousness. Symbols of vision in these chapters vary, but tell the audience a lot about the narrator’s psyche and give us clues about the path he takes to end up as the narrator from the introduction.
One of the most obvious symbols is blindness, most clearly illustrated in Pastor Barbee’s sermon at the university. He stands before the crowd, chronicling the fantastic and unbelievable achievements of the Founder, painting such a vivid, visceral, and moving scene with his words that audience members begin to cry and shout out (pp 97). However, both the fantastic nature and convenient moral of these stories suggest that they may be exaggerated if not entirely too good to be true. After all, what are the odds of surviving a gunshot to the head due to the help of a mysterious stranger and a seemingly demented black man” with “ a surprising knowledge of such matters“? (pp 95) How did the founder seem to be so unaffected by race in a time that was so clearly riddled with racism and discrimination? Furthermore, the constant stress of race throughout this speech, (both on some white people as allies and on some black people as foes to the cause) and the emphasis to pull oneself up by the bootstraps (pp 103) are reminiscent of the narrator’s earlier speech about the future success of black Americans hinging on their ability to know their place and cooperate with white Americans. Together, these facts suggest that this story may be being twisted in order to fit the college’s agenda of pleasing its white donors. This is further supported by Dr. Blesdoe’s later statements concerning power at the college being acquired by lying to the white partners and telling them what they want to hear (pp 108). The fact that after leading the congregation on this moving (and on many levels, very visual) journey, Barbee proceeds to trip due to his blindness alludes to the classic idiom of the blind leading the blind, further suggesting that he does not know the truth, but has created a truth (similar to the truth Blesdoe speaks about when reprimanding the narrator [pp 112]).
In a similar vein, Ellison uses distorted vision, mainly in the narrator, as a metaphor for inner turmoil and identity crisis. His inability to see clearly and perceive what is going on during the fight with Brockway is one example of this. Although this fight erupts suddenly, it results from the accumulation of stress over having no say in how he is perceived by others, and in the moment that he lashes out most violently, unable to see the difference between teeth and a knife, the narrator loses sight of who he momentarily. The most intense distortion of his vision, however, comes with the accident in the paint factory and his hospital visit. This is a watermark moment in the narrator’s story (especially given the implication of lobotomy) that changes how he will see himself moving forward, so as that change fully takes hold, he loses his clear perception of the world around him.
Finally, there is the vision of others. Particularly important are the scenes where the narrator is being viewed or not viewed. As the novel’s title would suggest, most people do not see the invisible man as he truly is — the refusal of the white professionals with whom Blesdoe connects him to even come out of their offices to see him is the most poignant example of this. They see a paper, a profile, not a man. When he talks to the director of the paint company, vision is only mentioned in reference to moments where the narrator is acting strangely (not a true representation of who the narrator is), and mostly seem to focus on the unease of the director. Finally, there are the interactions between the union members, the narrator, and Brockway. The narrator is not allowed to represent or even speak for himself — instead, he is characterized by the assumptions of these characters based on the actions of people other than himself (the finks or the black unionists, respectively). In his words:
“ It was as though by entering
the room I had automatically applied for membership — even though I had
no idea that a union existed, and had come up simply to get a cold pork
chop sandwich. I stood trembling, afraid that they would ask me to join but
angry that so many rejected me on sight. And worst of all, I knew they were
forcing me to accept things on their own terms, and I was unable to leave.” (pp 172)
That being said, there are those who do seem to see him more truly and directly, such as Miss Mary, who can see that he needs help and is willing to offer it. She sees his potential, sees his personhood, and is able to act as a “constant” in his life. However, there are occasions where what she sees in him is the future and the change that she hopes the black youth of the country (and particularly of the South) will usher in. Despite her relatively clear vision, even Mary can lose sight of who the narrator is, giving rise to his moments of frustration with her as he counts on her to be a constant as he figures out who he is for himself.
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