Saturday, December 15, 2012

Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is about a young black man from South Africa who does not fully understand racism in the world. Full of hope, he goes to college, but gets expelled for showing one of the professors the real and seamy side of black existence. After being expelled, he moves to Harlem and becomes an orator for the Communist Party, which is know as the "Brotherhood." He is both accused and praised, swept up in a world he does not fully understand. As he works for the organization, he encounters many people and situations that slowly force him to face the truth about racism. As racial tensions in Harlem continue to build, he gets caught in a riot that drives him to a manhole. In the darkness of the manhole, he slowly starts to understand himself, his invisibility and his identity. He begins to write a story, and when he is finished, he vows to enter the world again, knowing who he really is.

This is one of the best novels I read, it has everything a reader could ask for. I would recommend this book to those who like to read true life stories about the past. I would give this book a 10 out of 10.

-Reviewed by Alen, grade 12.

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