The Fight For Equality in Ralph Ellison's Battle Royal

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Merriam-Webster defines battle royal as “a fight participated in by more than two combatants; especially: one in which the last man in the ring or on his feet is declared the winner.” In Ralph Ellison’s short story, “Battle Royal”, the theme most prevalent throughout the narrative is, “The Fight for Equality in a White, Male-Driven Society.” The author’s use of symbolism in the narrative supports this idea. Such things as the grandfather’s curse, the stripper and her tattoo, the battle itself, the speech afterwards, and the dream that the narrator had at the end of the tale are all symbolic examples. We start off with the knowledge of the narrator’s grandfather’s death. On his deathbed, the grandfather tells about his time as a slave 85 years prior. The grandfather states that he was never troublesome but saw himself as a traitor and spy. This conversation between family members opens up the opportunity for the upcoming symbolism and understanding of the difficult paradox that black people found themselves in at this point in time. This is also the infamous curse mentioned in the story, which is not being able to stand up against the White Man. This curse is interesting because the narrator admits to sharing the same curse. All his life he has been classically conditioned through false praise to be submissive to the white man, but when the death of his grandfather occurred, the advice given was very controversial for the narrator to hear and understand. Son, after I’m gone I want you to keep up the good fight. I never told you, but our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy’s country ever since I gave up my gun back in the Reconstruction. Live with your head in the lion’s mouth. I want you to... ... middle of paper ... ... a certain one. The narrator finds an official looking document in the envelope and the document says, “Keep this Nigger-boy Running.” This dream represents the eternal failure of the narrator’s one true ambition in life. The short story, “Battle Royal” is a very powerful piece in which there are many symbolic instances that explain what life was like for minorities in the 1950s. The grandfather, the naked woman, the battle royal, and the dream are all important symbolic aspects in this narrator’s life. These symbols were able to explain why it was so difficult for minorities to be accepted in normal society. Works Cited "Battle Royal." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2014. . "Battle Royal." Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 10th ed. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 274-83. Print.

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