Yams In The Invisible Man Essay

The Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison, is full of symbols that encapsulate the struggles of the Invisible Man throughout the novel. The most important of these symbols are the yams which represent the Invisible Man’s identity, the briefcase which deals with the hopes and dreams of the Invisible Man, the glasses that relate also to identity, and the colors black, grey, and white, which are symbolic of the racial differences in America.

The yams in the Invisible Man are symbolic of his identity and his transformation. After roaming the streets during a bitter cold winter, he spots a yam stand. As the narrator stares at the yams, he already can tell that it is going to be sweet. The yam vendor tells the narrator that “everything what looks good

ain’t necessarily good” (264). Not only does this just relate to yams, but also to the narrator's identity in a white society.

The narrator is obsessed with following the rules of society. This is appealing and what everyone expects of him but it does not bring him happiness since he is controlled by the majority. The yams gave him a sense of nostalgia and after taking the first bite, he felt like a free man. He suddenly realizes that he had been controlled his entire life and now wants live his own way. He no longer cared about who was watching him and “what was proper” (264). This is the turning point in the the narrator’s life where he transforms from a naive young boy to a young man with his own opinions.

The briefcase is introduced into the novel when the Invisible Man takes part in the battle royal. The grueling fight between two black men, blinded then electrocuted, represents the distractions that keep the Invisible Man’s mind away from the reality

that he is in. The Invisible Man goes through much torment to receive this briefcase, even though he realizes midway through the fight that there is a larger problem at hand: the fact that he is forced to fight another black man in front of a white audience. He clings to the briefcase even after realizing this larger issue, which shows us that the briefcase is a representation of the dream he wishes to live but will never achieve. That dream being a place where the Invisible Man was not forced to brawl for a miniscule prize. This imaginary place is void of all societal problems, the largest being the strong racism that is present in his reality. As the novel progresses, the briefcase is given more things to hold, including the sambo doll and the Brotherhood documents. The sambo doll, a racially insulting caricature, represents society’s views towards the Invisible Man and Black people in general. And, without really solving any problem the Invisible Man shoves the sambo doll into his briefcase with his hopes and dreams. Lastly, the briefcase is used by the Invisible Man to escape Ras, and the briefcase which now represents all the hopes and dreams gone sour and all the insults made against him, gives him enough strength to escape the hatred of others. The events of the past give the Invisible Man power, events that can be traced back to the briefcase, and he has learned enough now that he is ready to start over, hence his journey into the underground.
The dark lensed glasses on the shield represent the Narrator’s realization that his real identity is invisible. Towards the end of the book, the Narrator puts on the dark lensed glasses and is mistaken for Rhinehart. He learns about the power of disguise and identity in society. After putting on the glasses, he “plunges into blackness” showing that his vision and his identity is changed (482). This portrays that the Narrator does not favor his own identity and how easy it is for him to change roles. Even though his own identity is invisible, he is visible in society as someone else. The glasses make the Narrator realize his invisibility and how one can be both invisible and visible. After having the thrill of becoming Rhinehart, he wants to put the glasses back on in order act as someone else. He finds his dark lensed glasses broken showing the limit of disguise and numerous identities. The glasses help the Invisible Man realize his own invisibility in society.
The shield is half black and half white with a grey center.

This represents the American society and the different races. The narrator believes that throughout his life, America is segregated into the majority and minority. He believes that he is part of the minority which prevents him from having the freedom that the majority has. Ellison uses a reverse role of the what the colors white and black actually represent. In the novel, black has a negative feel while white is more positive. This portrays the two races depicted in the book and how the society feels about them. During the narrator’s time at the Optic White Paint Factory, he is told that in order to make the whitest paint, he needs to add ten drops of “dead black” liquid (200). This is ironic because in order for the white paint to look white, black needs to be added to it. This portrays that blacks are just as important as whites in a functioning

society.
The grey center shows the combining of the two races which represents a negative aspect of society. The narrator states that “ whites are escaping blackness and becoming blacker everyday and the blacks striving towards whiteness” (577). The Invisible Man tries to act white in order to have the freedom that the majority have. Ellison illustrates here that some people are corrupt and are creating something that they do not want to become but rather what society expects of them. This statement by the Invisible Man portrays gray as negative and damaging to society.
The abundance of symbols throughout Ralph Ellison’s novel, Invisible Man, reveal the intense importance of what they each represent, that being the invisibility of the Narrator and the injustices of society at that time. Therefore, with the repetitive problematic symbols in the novel, the reader can come to the conclusion that Ellison is highlighting the huge problems in America that many people are not willing to talk about.