Symbolism Of The Problem In Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

At the turn of the twentieth century, American civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois wrote, “The problem of the century is the problem of the color line.” Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man examines the “problem” through the recurring use of symbolism. Ellison’s emphasis on the literal and figurative shackles of slavery represent society's racist ideologies that bind African Americans despite the abolition of slavery. Correspondingly, the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement confirms that even in the twenty-first century, the “color line” problem remains. The narrator recognizes society’s progress but still fights for a better future. Modern civil rights activists seek to do the same. Wisdom: Many African Americans recognized how far they had come since the abolition of slavery. However, with this came a disregard for

It has only morphed into other problems. This controversial topic has created a division between people and even with many African Americans’ support and effort, complete equality has not been reached. They have only won the battles, not the whole war and it is questionable if they ever will. The key to dismantling the institution of racism is by breaking the links in the chain. The people must realize that this progression of the chain figuratively being passed down is a symbol of the struggle that the black people have faced. It is important to know that the shackle cannot just be destroyed when it is still connected to something. As shown in the novel, Bledsoe uses the shackles as a symbol of progress while Brother Tarp uses it as a representation of the continuous struggle. Throughout media, it is clear that the problems still occur today and it is up to the future generations to create a fusion between all races and diminish racism completely. It is clear that in Invisible Man the narrator continues to demand a better future while still pointing out the progress that the society has