Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is a bit of a weird book but still a good one. It follows an unnamed black man during an unspecified time but it is presumed to be around the same time the book was published so probably the 30’s or 40’s. The man in question claims he is invisible but not necessarily in the traditional sense, he claims he is invisible because people look right past him and don’t see him for himself. He then goes back, all the way to when he was just a youth and explains how he came to that conclusion. How he first started thinking about it when he was treated as entertainment by a group of wealthy white men when he first graduated high school. That it stuck with him through his time in college and his interactions with both the white benefactors and the black administrators. How he only really started thinking about it and considering it seriously during his time in Harlem when he was struggling to support his fellow blacks and find his place in the world.
I was not sure what to expect with this book as I didn’t really know all that much about it before I read it. Honestly, the only thing I really knew is that it is often considered a modern classic. Having now read it I can mostly agree with that. The book is portrayed as a sort of memoir of this unnamed black man who is telling his life story but at the same time it is also this philosophical discussion of what it is like to go through life being completely unnoticeable as an individual. The multiple and nuanced layers of the book are rather interesting and pretty incredible in some ways. I have read other works that deal with a similar theme, the concept of being completely invisible to society, but this book deals with it in some pretty remarkable ways. I say that because it approaches it from a somewhat unique angle. The main protagonist is not invisible as people do see him and even interact with him fairly frequently. The issue is that he feels like he could have been exchanged with any other black man of a similar age and nobody would have even noticed the change. That seems a pretty unique viewpoint in my opinion. The book does an incredible job of helping the protagonist gradually build up to that realization though. It doesn’t just spring it on him all at once but shows him slowly thinking things through to get there. Something I noticed while I was reading though is how certain elements of the book help reinforce that concept for the audience. I have referred to the main character as unnamed black man because that is exactly what he is throughout the entire book. Not once is a name provided, even when he changes his name partway through. That really helps emphasize the concept being explored in the book. I thought that was a highly interesting technique to use that definitely but subtly helped to explore that theme. This book definitely earns 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.
As you may have noticed this book is a modern classic that probably falls under realistic fiction. However, it also deals with some rather philosophical ideas and will probably make the reader spend quite a bit of time thinking about what they read. If this sounds like it appeals to you or sounds interesting in any way I would recommend trying it out. Honestly, I would recommend trying it anyway just to help you consider the ideas it presents. You are welcome to decide otherwise as it may not be for you. The book is mostly aimed at adults and I would mostly agree with that. The concepts it presents can be mildly difficult and may present a struggle for younger readers. In terms of content, the only thing that might make it unsuitable is the racism that is present but that would have been a normal part of society at the time and should not be closed over or ignored. I would recommend it only for readers older than about sixteen but otherwise it should be fine. If it sounds interesting I hope you keep it in mind when looking for something to read. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments if you decide to try it.