Invisible Man
Dolls. We are surrounded by dolls. G. I. Joe, Barbie, Polly Pocket, and WWF action figures. Prior to our plasticene friends we had paper dolls, marionettes, and delicately featured porcelain dolls. We are strangely fascinated by these cold, lifeless objects that look so much like ourselves. Children clutch them and create elaborate scenes, while adults are content to simply collect, allowing them to sit, motionless on a shelf, staring coolly back at their live counterparts. Which brings us to and interesting point, are people simply dolls for other people to play with or collect? One could make the arguement that we are all Tod Cliftons', doomed to dance by invisible strings while wearing a mask of individualism. However, unlike Tod Clifton, most of us will not realize that who pulls the string, is not ourselves. Ralph Ellison's novel, The Invisible Man is fraught with images of dolls as if to constantly reminded the reader that no one is in complete control of themselves. Our first example of doll imagery comes very early in the novel with the Battle Royal scene. The nude, blonde woman is described as having hair "that was yellow like that of a circus kewpie doll" (19). Ellison draws
" (568) The doll's difficulty in burning is symbolic of the fact that we, as men , will never fully be able to break free from our puppet-like imprisonment. The fact that they are both shown as puppets or dolls in the work is no coincidence. Even the Invisible Man has his turn at being a puppeteer, as we all do, with Mr. While trying to keep warm and get a good look at the place he in, he begins to burn the various objects in his briefcase. Whether those others were Bledsoe, his grandfather, or the brotherhood is irrelevant, but there has always been and imperceptible string attached to him governing everything he does. Our final encounter with a doll occurs again with Clifton's dancing Sambo. overcome 'em with yesses, undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to death and destruction. The Invisible Man recognizes that all his life he's been a slave and a puppet to others. This small tissue paper doll has the capability to completely change the Invisible Man. Ellison's narrator can be found in each and every human being. When he comes to the flimsy tissue-paper doll he finds that it will not burn.
Common topics in this essay:
Tod Clifton,
Pocket WWF,
Tod Clifton's,
Battle Royal,
Invisible Thinking,
Ralph Ellison's,
Tod Cliftons',
Strings Dolls,
tod clifton,
clifton's dancing sambo,
dancing sambo,
clifton's dancing,
Invisible Maybe,
doll imagery,
sambo dolls,
novel invisible,
example doll,
example doll imagery,
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Acceptance Essays
