Ralph Ellison's King Of The Bingo Game

869 Words2 Pages

Fate’s Game In Ralph Ellison's short story "King of the Bingo Game," the use of language, tone, and mood captures the protagonist's experience, reflecting the idea that while we may throw dice, fate determines how they fall. Set around the era of the Great Depression, Ellison's story goes into the mind of the protagonist; a distressed man dealing with the harsh realities of poverty, oppression, and his internal conflicts. He is in a tough spot, dealing with poverty and discrimination. The way Ellison writes makes the readers feel for the character; the ups and downs, the struggles, and the moments of hope. The language Ellison uses paints a picture of the character's tough life. The tone shifts between feeling defeated and feeling strong, just …show more content…

fate versus free will, reality versus illusion. Trapped in the web of his own mind, he sways on the edge of sanity. His perceptions are distorted by the continuous grip of psychosis. He is wrapped up in a state of psychosis which separates him from the real world, Chaffee notes "The nameless bingo player wanders on a slippery psychological no man's land, alternately touching reality and swimming in fantasy, and occasionally caught in a mesh woven from the interlocking of both worlds” (Chaffee 23). Ellison navigates these shifts in tone, which then creates a narrative that is haunting and thought-provoking. The mood of "King of the Bingo" provokes feelings of isolation and guilt from the readers. The protagonist exists on the margins of society, excluded and invisible, his humanity reduced to a mere spectacle for the amusement of others. This mood amplifies the reader's feelings toward him, which can be described as sympathy. The loneliness he’s experiencing is Slater 3, only made worse by his aimless search for control and autonomy in a world where he feels

Open Document