 February - April 2006
Thoughts on “ Invisible Man” -- The Book
That Changed My Life
by Alvin C. Romer
During the time of year when Black History titles are thrown about with reckless abandon, one book usually stands out among the rest. I was asked which book changed my life, and you’d think with such a title one would readily surmise that the Bible would certainly step up and take the credit. Alas, the Bible indeed has been instrumental in my spiritual and seminal growth, and should not be ignored. An explanation is in order though, but for no other reason than to give a different insight on another book that also shaped my sensibilities. The bible is not being usurped, and surely no disrespect intended. And I say this to give a case for a non-religious order that has shaped my train of thought, leaving me a much better person psychologically. I allude to literary fortitude, and not at the expense of spirituality to say that the Bible shouldn’t automatically be chosen without question. For this reason, my digression to Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man shouldn’t allow the bible a lesser level of importance. I have my reasons for hailing this book as a giant among literary and academic lore.
 The most important book on American race relations some will tell you is Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but there are compelling reasons why many more claim it to be the very book that is my personal choice. I’ve ready many books in my literary life, but none has affected me more than Invisible Man. Many exposes and analogies have been alluded to, and written about this giant of a book. What makes it so special to me? More than anything else, it taught me early on how to learn the importance in distinguishing between, and dealing with my minority status and my cultural heritage. All of this, amid the institutional pangs of racism was enough to prompt feelings of doubt at times. Published over 50 years ago, it’s just as relevant now as it was then portraying an unnamed Black character as he struggles to make a name in a country that refuses to “see” him. What he wrote about made me feel that I was part of the all too familiar way of how others of another persuasion have always looked at people of color. For years I struggled with introspective psychological demons that I felt inhibited me from discovering my true talents. Early on I felt that people, most notably my family, misunderstood my intent as failure began to allow them to feel that my lot was measured with what was seen only on the outer edge. I wanted more…I wanted to be seen realistically with no pressure to succeed under their proportions. I demanded to be accepted on much higher standards. I read Mr. Ellison’s book and it transformed discernable options as I inseminated his subjective analogy and wove it intrinsically within my psyche as a cure for all of my ailments. It’s all about identity. All I ever wanted was acceptance within my own Diaspora without the expectation to succeed under someone else’s mantras. More often than not, my writing was not always seen as something that so-called common folk could read for common understanding. I’m either being pretentious or pedantic in my choice of words when writing. Weary of being a phantom in the mind of other people, reading and digesting Invisible Man augmented my sense of self and perfected an image of voice that allowed me to triumph over lesser sensibilities regarding achievement.
All too often we toil in anonymity as Blacks where greater exaltation is expected and is warranted, but when an important task of American politics is to make room for us to be seen and judged as individuals, white America fails miserably. I say this considering what remains to be done politically and sociably to bridge the perpetual racial divide in this nation and the world. While reading the book, and experiencing life afterwards throughout the years, I continually asked myself, “What kind of society would make them ‘see’ me?” No easy answers for that one, but I surmise that the tragic irony for my brothers and sisters of color stems from the suffrage of visibility and invisibility. We live large in a society as minorities which relegates us the legal and social targets of racism, while our individuality remains unseen to the predominate society that continues to judge us only by the color of our skin. The book changed me in ways I’m still in awe of, one of which I’ve cemented suggesting that in order for us to excel in this world would be to uphold self-estimable options to instill confidence. I was further able to see the benefits of individuality in defining identity. It’s my opinion because of it, I’ve taken on a stance of a rock-solid mentality as it pertain to presentation, especially with me looking at individualism as a method that the public-at-large should embrace. This would help individuals in this country to ‘know’ one another without the myths of racial inferiority or superiority.
Just as Mr. Ellison became aware of the injustices suffered by his people in America, and how he dissected the innate intricacies of identity (or lack of same) fueled passions to rectify any shortcomings thereof, I too can give credence to why introspective analysis should be inherent in all of us for a better understanding of who we are. This book, as complex as it is, always gave me different views every time I read it, and mind you, I’m not one to read books too many times more than twice. Although he recognized and accepted the fact that being Black in America was problematic, his concern was not exclusively racial as he deals with white people searching for and failing to discover their own identity also! See, stuff like this will move me every time. With it I learned satire and allegorical references to make valid points of contention, as I grew older. Mr. Ellison dealt with pride, freedom, love, and seminal thought dealing with the centers of one’s mental order. It’s like he entered my psyche and sat down to ponder the next move to get me to embrace critical thought patterns for self-estimable options. Never mind the fact that he only wrote one book that mattered – the man was a master at technique…. he used language that made you think twice about anything real or imagined to get you to see several sides of one coin.
His overall presence allowed me to know who I was quite early, and why I needed to be strong within my center. It’s at the end (of the book) when this feeling rises to crescendo, and on the way down I experience ebbs and flows realizing that the central character finds that the one thing he hasn’t conquered is the mind. Over the years I’ve endeavored to use a few of the thought patterns in the book to give me greater insight to acceptance and worth. I like the structure of this book, so much so that I still try to convince myself that superficial identities will not suffice in overcoming societal ills regarding men of color.
As an individual who still craves the ambiance of a bolstered image among peers and family, my acceptance of status quo is not enough for me. I love the classics in literature, love how my literati ancestors before me defined quality in what was written, and certainly aspire to be visible in my quest for success. As I’ve gone on record many times to defend the genius of Ralph Ellison only writing one seminal novel during his life, the lesson taught by his invisible man is valid today extolling the need to be given his just due. This is legacy and paying homage where the playing fields are equal and equitable in the face of literary worth. The obligation of making oneself seen and heard should be an imperative of democratic individualism, and not an institutional excuse to enhance visible sightlines of ignorance. I don’t mind using his thought patterns to give me insight on having different ways to reach conclusions as it pertain to thematic treatment of artistic form as a means of imposing order on the apparent chaotic nature of human existence. The mind for me always creates form out of formlessness and order out of misdirection. Moreover, it is by means of this order and form that human beings are enabled not only to see the world and all other peoples, but also to accept their responsibilities. I’m not sure that we have found a formula to address this…but Ralph Ellison sure was on the right track! |
