Themes of Invisible Man
1) Balancing social and personal responsibilityThe central problem the narrator encounters throughout his life deals with the balance between social and personal responsibility. The public and private self of a black man come into continual conflict. Most often, the personal nature of the man is forced to give up his morals and or family values in order to present himself in better light to the white society. Trueblood said, "But what I don't understand is how I done the worse thing a man can do in his own family and 'stead of things gittin' bad, they got better. The nigguhs up at the school don't like me, but the white folks treats me fine" (68). Sometimes the split between the two halves is not even visible to the Invisible Man. Racist stereotypes and other people's schemes confound his attempts to know himself. "Here within this quiet greenness I possessed the only identity I had ever known, and I was losing" (99).On the other hand, Dr. Bledsoe's personality is revealed in the open at a school assembly as he gives a "swift glance carrying a threat for all" (115). He is subordinate to t
2) An attempt at Social progressThe dream of social progress for black Americans offered by the college's ideology breeds treachery and division. Bledsoe betrays the entire community with his surrender to the white nation, and the entire college turns its back on Trueblood. He feels that he needs to somehow "measure up" to the white man's society by working on his own habits. This dream continues and grows into a desire to move forward, to move to New York. When I was your age it was Chicago. It also gives an implied acceptance of second class status for blacks. "New York! That's not a place, it's a dream. In the first chapter, the Invisible man is submissive to white charity in this demeaning manner. We were trying to lift them up and they, like Trueblood, did everything it seemed to pull us down" (47). some day it will be filled with important papers that will help shape the destiny of your people" (32).
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Acceptance Essays
