Inequalities: A Reality of Our World Today

Inequality among people of all races and ethnicities is a subject that I encounter on many occasions in my daily living. Even though I am part of the generation that has spent all its life in the 21st century, I have over time realized that the question of people treating each other differently is real. Depending on their race or ethnicity is something that would live with us for many more years to come. I have come to this conclusion based on the way I see the world around me through the lens of one of the foremost American writers Ralph Ellison. In his book, The Invisible Man, Ellison explores the issue of racial equality in the United States and its effects on minority groups, especially black people. Set in the 1920s and 1930s, the author traces the story of a young black man and the racial obstacles he faces as he tries to sense of his identity in a highly divisive society. Through a careful choice of words, allusions, metaphors, and smiles, Ellison lets me understand that one's identity is something one has to acknowledge since daily experiences do not disappoint in reminding about this reality.

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The use of the term phrase invisible man in itself creates an image of somebody who is recognized by the people around him. The narrator is the invisible man, and as the book opens, I can deduce that the man who is being referred to in the text is black. I conclude that the protagonist is black is courtesy of an allusion the author makes at the start of the first chapter about Louis Armstrong's song "what did I do to be so black and blue" and also the indication that the grandparents were slaves who acquired freedom after the end of the American Civil War. The narrator is living underground, stealing electricity from Monopolated Light and Power Company. In these opening statements, the reader can easily connect that the narrator is black and isolated. He is invisible not because he cannot be seen but due to the refusal of society to see that there somebody in this location. The reference to the song reveals that he is seeking answers for the current confusing situation regarding the treatment of his race as a minority group in the United States. In the present world around me, the issue of lack of recognition is real, as decisions are mostly based on the views of the majority. Even democratic principles suggest that minority will always have their way. However, on a personal basis, I see the underground situation that the narrator is in as a reflection of the stressful experiences I have had as an individual. Under these circumstances, I often long that somebody comes to my rescue and answer some of the questions regarding a given problem I am facing. But this is not always the case because sometimes people, including family members, are busy, and therefore, I feel that I have to live through the situation. Like the protagonist in the story, I am tempted in such a case to think that people should be aware of my condition, but that is always not the outcome. From the feedback I get talking to some of my friends who have experienced depression, the experience is the same-one feels so conspicuous but still in total isolation.

Right at the onset of the story, the reader learns that the narrator is a gifted speaker who aspires to be successful in life despite the existence of racial inequalities in the United States. He earns a scholarship from white people to study in a prestigious black college, and this gesture gives optimism that he would realize his aspirations. However, the protagonist makes relevant statements that evoke disappointments on the reader. He says that he earned the scholarship after fighting in a ring with fellow black men, with white people acting as spectators of the event as a means of enjoyment. However, the narrator later discovered that the scholarship was counterfeit. During the fight, he says that the ten black students were "blindfolded with broad bands of white cloth" and required to fight each. A blindfold hinders somebody from seeing as normal. The blindfold being white is a deliberate metaphor that the author has chosen to show that white people have put various limitations on black people, thereby undermining their ability to exploit their full potential for personal development. The scene of the fight is significant in the story as it sets the stage from the onset that the story in the book relates to racial segregation and exploitation. Although I have not experienced an incidence similar to the one depicted in the novel, many people around the world are being exploited each day, as in the case of the protagonist. In the United States, politicians make good promises to people during elections. Once elected, they serve the interests of corporations and those parties who financed them in the polls. Low-income citizens are given a raw deal. I see this scenario to the raw deal of a fake scholarship that the 'invisible man' receives from white people. The vulnerable are used as pawns to give happiness to the powerful, and this leaves poor individuals in the country isolated and invisible in the affairs of the country.

Another vital scene that develops the theme of racial discrimination is the life the narrator leads in college. A leading character in advancing this position is Dr. Bledsoe. The character believes that black people can achieve success if they adopt the culture of the whites, which includes taking speech and manners like those of white people. He also asks the narrator to present an idealized situation of the lives of black people in the United States. The protagonist's encounter with this character is essential is it influences how relates to whites in subsequent scenes. In chapter 3, he confesses, "I knew he was a founder, but I knew also that it was advantageous to flatter rich white folks" (18). The narrator's admission about exhibiting pretense to in the company of white people suggests the dilemma that black people faced amidst hostilities and segregation. They sought to free themselves from the shackles of white domination, and this involved being true to themselves on what they want as citizens. Such a position included expressing their views about oppression and a lack of opportunities to achieve life goals. However, it appears that they faced a challenging task to navigate racism. As a result, they had to devise ways of living with the problem. I believe that in typical life situations, many people choose to be innovative based on the realities that prevail. That is why I see the strategy used by the narrator and fellow blacks should not be interpreted as a resignation but examined from the determination to survive under an environment riddled with stereotypes and discrimination. In many parts of the world, I have read about how minorities are suffering, and many of these incidences are highlighted by the media today. People tend to accept their situations when they have few alternatives to solve their plight. As a person of Asian descent, I have encountered several situations in college whereby expressing my genuine stand about an ideology regarding socioeconomic issues. The reason for this behavior results from the social pressure that I get from daily interactions to fit in the US society, and that means acquiring the culture overnight, quite literally. If I were in the situation of the narrator and faced similar extreme treatment, I would devise ways to survive in a harsh environment. Therefore, pampering whites was a way of survival for the protagonist rather than an indication of defeat.

The searching for employment and the experience the man encounters gives a clear picture of the struggles of African Americans in the 1920 and 1930s. At Liberty Paints, the author uses words to describe the experiences of the narrator as African Americans. He uses black vernacular that is full of speech expressions to advance the identity issue that black people were searching at the time. For instance, when Dupre provides instructions on how to burn down the tenement of a building, he uses words that can be associated with the black dialect in the United States. The supervisor says, "After that, it's every tub on its own black bottom" (400). The speaker had a choice to use a more conventional statement to say that after the task, every man for himself but did not go that direction. Perhaps the author wants to teach the audience about identity and how it is valuable to people in society. I relate the message of the Ellison with the diversity in the United States. I have since learned that Latino Americans, African Americans, Whites, Asia-Americans use certain words in their speech, which are unique to the group. I have also gathered that people from different parts of the country speak in varying accents. There are further different languages spoken in the nation except for English. The use of words emphasizing black culture offers useful information about the diversity in the United States. Ellison helps me learn the richness of culture in the US. Moreover, there is something special that people acquire when they speak in a native language or a dialect that relates to their culture. The author may have used identity in the use of language to show how black people used their culture to find comfort in a demeaning environment.

The last aspect of the novel that I find hugely informative about the issues society today is the narrator's job search and later participation in the Brotherhood that promoted Black Nationalism. When the narrator completes college, he goes to New York to look for a job. Before leaving the school, he ensured that he gets recommendations from the administration to enable him to secure employment. The letters were written by Dr. Bledsoe and addressed to Mr. Emerson. The protagonist uses the letter to seek for jobs in Harlem with no success. He later meets the son of Mr. Emerson, who helps secure him a job. What I find interesting, however, is the fact that the recommendation letter described the narrator as unreliable and dishonorable. The revelation was shocking since the narrator never expected such an opinion from a fellow black man. The climax of the situation is that the son of a white man helps the narrator to secure employment at Liberty Paints. The obvious interpretation here is that a black man should have been in the front in supporting a fellow oppressed African American, but the irony is that it is the white man who comes to the rescue. The other incident is when the narrator, the Brotherhood movement, and met leaders such as the Exhorter. While in this movement, he learns that the organization interested in the real liberation of black people. It is an entity serving the interests of a few people. As I read through the text, I discover that fellow black men betrayed the narrator. People tend to have close friends with individuals whom they share race, ethnicity, religion, or origin. The usual expectation is that such association is helpful, but the evidence of the experience of the narrator shows us a good person can come from any grouping. As a student of Asian origin, I have encountered a situation where students and friends associated with each other based on their ethnicity. The most enduring thing is that there some cases where I taught that I would receive better treatment from Asian Americans, but this is not the case as some even tend to view themselves as different, especially those born in the US. These outcomes paint a picture of belonging that we seek to achieve when living in an environment with people that have different social, cultural, and political traits. The experience of the protagonist also helps me appreciate the barriers that minorities and women face in career progression.

In conclusion, Ellison highlights the challenges Af...