Stereotypes In Invisible Man

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In Ralph Ellison’s powerful critique of a racist American society, the voice of women is nearly nonexistent, as most women characters in Invisible Man perpetuate simplistic stereotypes, making them just as invisible as the narrator is. Throughout the novel, women are portrayed as either prostitutes, seductresses, or mother figures and never have a chance to develop further as characters. Though Ellison is successful in highlighting the plight of African American’s during a time of great oppression, he fails to shed light on similar struggles that women went through during this same time period.
The first woman introduced in the novel is the unnamed blonde at the Battle Royale, who dances naked in front of a room full of men. The Invisible …show more content…

Norton and Jim Trueblood have incestuous fantasies about their daughters in the novel, though only Trueblood acts on these desires. Both of the daughters’ voices are not heard, as their stories are told by their fathers instead. Norton describes his daughter stating that “she was a being of more rare, more beautiful, purer, more perfect and more delicate than the wildest dream of a poet...I found it difficult to believe her my own” (39). Although Norton does not specify any explicit sexual desires in his description, it becomes clear that these thoughts have crossed his mind, as he describes her to have been a “rare and perfect creation”. In addition, Norton’s great interest in Trueblood’s story further shows how he likely had these same thoughts about his own daughter. Unlike Norton however, Trueblood actually acts on his desires as he rapes his own daughter, Matty Lou. Once again, both Matty and Norton’s daughters are voiceless and invisible to the rest of society, as the men in the novel assert their superiority and power over them by objectifying them. In addition, Trueblood’s wife, Kate must remain with Jim even after the rape, because she is powerless on her own. Trueblood sees both his wife and daughter as his property rather than individuals in the same way the white community perceives the Invisible Man. Kate and Mary-Lou are just as dependent on Trueblood as the Invisible Man is dependent on the powerful white men in the

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