There comes a time when racial conflict rears its ugly head and affects the people who have no choice but to be engulfed within its fiery rage. These people were influenced greatly by their surroundings and were sometimes inspired artistically to express their own views of how they perceived this. Ralph Ellison and Anne Moody both (1.) are affected by the results of racial conflicts and racism, and the end result (2) is the production of two very moving books that share similar qualities. Both Invisible Man and Coming of Age In Mississippi express racial views through characters, setting, and thoughts and views through the narrator.
             Throughout the novel Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison (3) expressed his racial views through the use of symbols that are represented as characters. (A) Descriptive imagery (4) helped express Ellison's ideas through his characters. The narrator, who is the main character in Invisible Man, demonstrates that the black man is seen as invisible to the white people in America at the time when racism (5) peaked. Ellison felt that it was the black man's turn to take a stand for what was right, and through his narrator he states his view. "Social...equality." (Pg. 31). The courageous and daring narrator (6) used striking and powerful words, as he exclaimed his speech that was said in front of a group of racist bigots. Many were outraged by the nerve that this black man had. They quarreled and argued with him. "What? You weren't being smart, were you boy?" (Pg. 31). (B) The group (7) settled down after the fact that the narrator (8) had corrected himself reluctantly and ashamedly because of his "mistake".
             Anne Moody used similar use of characters in her autobiography. She grew up in a very poor and hate filled life. "I was sick of having to worry about where my next penny was coming from and how I would get to school next year." (Pg. 233). Ann...