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Contributor: Melissa Kowalski. Lesson ID: 12547
Wouldn't it be cool to be invisible? That depends on what invisible means. If it means you're treated like you're invisible, then it's not so cool. Learn what it means to be true to yourself!
The term invisible refers to something that cannot be seen with the naked eye or easily detected by ordinary means.
In his 1952 novel Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison challenges this definition of invisibility, claiming that people can be invisible.
As you read the novel, you will learn what Ellison means by invisible.
To understand the story, it is important to know more about the author, Ralph Ellison. Examine Ellison's life and career with the resources below.
After exploring both sources, answer the following questions in a notebook or journal that you will use to record your work for this entire series of Related Lessons.
After answering these questions independently, check your answers by clicking below.
Once you've reviewed your answers, you can begin reading Invisible Man.
You will need a copy of the novel to complete this series of Related Lessons (right-hand sidebar). You can purchase or borrow the book in paper or digital format. Choose the one you are most comfortable reading.
If you cannot access the novel, you may download Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison from the Internet Archive.
When you have your novel copy, read the Prologue, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2.
As you read, take notes on the concepts Ellison raises in the first part of the text. Look for references to the following terms. Note when they are used and what they mean in that section of the novel's context.
| invisibility | social responsibility | White | |
| identity | social equality | Black | |
| light | fate |
When you have finished your reading and note-taking, move to the Got It? section to explore the ideas of the novel's first part in more detail.
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