Rating: 
Summary: Great novel ¿ period
Review: I can't really add much to the many reviewers who came before me and heaped praise on this masterpiece of a novel. It is certainly one of the best ever written. My only additional observation is that here Ellison, among other things, really set the tone and style for a form of "psychological" literature, wherein the problems of an entire people or segment thereof are presented through the thoughts, feelings and problems of an individual, in this case the story's narrator. It is therefore fantastic literature and riveting social commentary. This style is otherwise a hallmark of much of the post-WWII literature of the former communist bloc in Europe, although very few if any Eastern European writers, whether officially sanctioned or "dissident" ever came close to matching Ellison's achievement - even though some of them managed to become more popular. Personally, I think if most of these writers had carefully read "Invisible Man" first, they probably wouldn't have bothered writing their own 'masterworks' and saved many a reader the trouble of plodding through them.
Rating:
Summary: 5 stars is an insult
Review: I am convinced the greatest travesty of Ralph Ellison's legacy is the everlasting marginalization of his masterpiece. Yes, nearly fifty years after its first publication and nearly sixty since he first commenced to apply concept to paper, he continues to receive the highest critical acclaim as one of the century's greatest African American authors. Yet, there is often a subtle implied distinction in such platitudes. INVISIBLE MAN is one of the great works of literature, irrespective of time, genre, or creators' ethnicity.For me to posit I am capable of writing a coherent and incisive recommendation is the most blatant demonstration of arrogance imaginable. That is not to be construed as self-deprecation; when I first read the book during my high school years neither my intellectual maturity, developing awareness, academic preparation, nor cumulative life experience afforded the requisite foundation to appreciate this opus on any level but the most perfunctory. In my opinion, it is one of academia's multitudinous paradoxes that the vast majority of those who are most vociferously encouraged to read the book are arguably those least armed to "fully" comprehend it. The observation is not meant to be an indictment of the secondary education system, but rather a lament. Any exposure to the works of Ellison is to be applauded; it is merely a consideration that maximum benefit from that exposure is unlikely to occur for a few more years. INVISIBLE MAN is best appreciated in the context of one's own experience and it's relevancy may at times be obverted by the complexity. "Invisibility" is not simply a metaphor for social alienation. For - most especially - many African Americans it is a constant state of being, today as well as during the era of the unnamed narrator. This is a book overloaded with the state of the emotional universe that also unmasks all of the unspoken subleties of man's interaction with fellow man. It is a microcosm of life experience with all textures represented. It is as close to tactile as is possible for the printed word. Every man, and most specifically every African American man will experience segments, if not all of the travails of Ellison's character. Yet, on some level, we know each of the others who have some impact on his life. It might be sophistic, however what is in large measure a dark and somber book, imbued with desolation and resignation is at the same time spiritually and cognitively uplifting. That, is just one miniscule example of the genius of Ralph Ellison. I sometimes wonder whether Mr Ellison was later encumbered by a drive to surpass himself, unreasonably critical of his prose for "Juneteenth" in an unattainable quest achieve perfection.
Rating:
Summary: An Engrossing and Thougthful Masterwork
Review: I started reading Invisible Man with little motivation aside from the "blind" faith that it would be an excellent read, and thankfully, those high expectations were fully met. Invisible Man is considered the masterwork of the author annointed "literary ambassador to jazz," Ralph Ellison, andd with good reason. It is an incredibly deep and thought provoking book, extremely expansive in it's topic matter, location and even character portrayal. The heart of Invisible Man is the nameless narrator's long, blind persuit of what other people percieve him as, until he stumbles upon something that a few wise people have told him all along --- that he is invisible. Socially invisible, infinitely malleable to humanity's judgements. Beneath this near philosophical search for Truth resides the theme of Race, an undercurrent throughout the novel that presents the reader with the conceptions of racism and intolerance from every concievable point of view. The characterizations are strong and realistic, the imagery graphic and symbolic, and the plot both engaging and suspenseful. A truly remarkable book, not only as a literary accomplishment but as a meaningful and provocative social commentary.
Rating:
Summary: One of the 10 best from the 20th century
Review: Oh my gosh. If you haven't read this book, you are in for an unforgettable experience. What do we have here? The title "Invisible Man" suggests that we have a book about how African Americans are invisible and deserve greater visibility. So its content would chronical a variety of instances where blacks are invisible. This novel does this. Ellison said himself that he wanted to create a war novel, but the "voice of invisibility" prevented him from doing so. Not so fast, though. The first 300 pages deviate from this concept. I think it might be arguing that blacks are OVER-visible with situations of incest, prostitution, and a riot. Then again, this over-visibility might be due to the invisibility mentioned above. Nevermind. :) The prologue seems to universalize suffering as it despecifies the oppression of blacks. It contains elements of instability and indeterminacy. Ellison conveys his blackness in as white a way as possible. He strays from his African roots as he makes references to oppression in Spain and Germany. Even when he has the opportunity to say something expected - the naked black woman being abused by white slave owners - Ellison makes the girl "the color of ivory." What in the world is going on here??? Ellison is trying to get us to pay attention to his composition, not the suffering of a black man trumatized by contemporary experience. Why? Because the only thing that matters is what the Invisible Man learns throughout the novel. Ellison does not give us a poor black boy who grows up without anything being given to him and is humiliated in white society. No. He gives us a black boy who is at college during the period of Jim Crow. This is one of the highest positions a black person could be in during this time! The Invisible Man is as brilliant, ambitious, and conforming as could be possibly imagined. Given all this information - NOW he fails. And boy, does he ever fail... At the beginning of the novel, the Invisible Man's grandfather gives him a speech before he passes away, telling him not to succeed. And that is precisely what the Invisible Man learns at the end of the novel: success is a trap. He begins to learn this lesson around page 400. Yes, Bledsoe succeeds, but only by being willing to hold onto what he has earned, even if he has to see "every negro hanging from a tree." I truly love this book. The book itself is a hymn to ambivalence - ambivalence to the whites who have oppressed the blacks. It is this that the uniqueness of the African American experience has given to Ellison.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing narration
Review: I remember this book in late high school/early college as a challenging read filled with dense imagery and griping narrative. This was my first audio book and, because of the experience created by Joe Morton, it will not be my last. Words fail to describe the sense of excitement and discovery he initiates in tape one and then sustains through tape twelve (though a previous reviewer commented on the lack of a proper ending, I had twelve tapes in my set and the epilogue was in place.) Mr. Morton's skill in creating several dozen distinct characters meets the task assigned him by the reading of this extraordinary book. As hearers of the written word, we are transformed. If you are considering experimenting with audio, take the dare and start here. You will have no regrets.
Rating:
Summary: Trying Hard to See You
Review: Ellison's African-American hero (appropriately, we never learn his name) wanders through life suffering from people who expect him to be someone he's not. Every time he tries to assert himself, people punish him for failing to conform to their expectations, and since no two people seem to expect the same thing from him - and since he meets so many different people - he suffers a lot. He calls himself the invisible man, then, because no one sees him for himself. The novel tells how he comes to this realization and how he concludes that forcing people to conform is wrong and that diversity is a strength. Surprisingly for a black novel set in the 1950s, only about half of his troubles come from racism, and he seems to have little or no internalized racism. Also, although the novel can be read just on the surface, it has a rich allegorical subtext that rewards careful examination. (E.g. the Liberty Paint Company secretly adds a few drops of black graduate to each bucket of their award-winning white paint.) Finally, the book is almost completely free of modern notions of political correctness, so it should be readable and enjoyable for everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: "He was invisible, not blind"
Review: Ralph Ellison's, Invisible Man is a journey into the palms of societies manipulating hands. Taking place mostly in Harlem, New York, I watched as a smart,unnamed black man fell victim to his own innocence. His own vulnerablility, his own sense of "just not getting it" led almost everyone he encountered to take advantage of him. He met many confidants and many antagonists along the way which caused him to run away from society. To take the step that so many confused, hurt men dream of taking. Which was no further caring for the superficial ways of the world but only for his own self loving his own self. Alone, underneath a plethora of scheming minds, the invisible man finally came to touch with himself. He was no longer a color, no longer a tool for hands to play with. Although some might look down upon his choice to run away, his fear and concious knowing that he was unready to take the "next step," I, with the help of Ellison's eloquent wording, can see the beauty in his ultimate sacrifice. I think that this novel was very well written and I am suprised that it was the only one of Ralph Ellison's books to become extremely popular. I recommend this book to any high school senior or above. I think that it will be enjoyed by many.
Rating:
Summary: Keep Reading!!!
Review: Everything that you've read so far will eventually fill a deeper meaning! It was assigned by my English Teacher who seemed to tell us each day what was coming next. At times, it was the most discouraging thing that he could have done, yet in the beginning, it kept the class interested. I sat up many nights reading the book, chapter after chapter. The novel connects people. As a white Montana girl from the heart of the Rockies, I don't have the culture of Harlem around me. I recommend this literary work of art to any teacher wanting to educate their students. Ellison's book gives insight on the difficulties and betrayal life can hand you. His title adds to the personal side of it. As an Invisible Man the reader never learns the main characters name, simply because it isn't important. A name would not add to the significance of the novel, but the invisibility does. By not having a specific label, the author pulls you into the story line, as if you were the Invisible Man. Ellison has also incorporated marvelous imagery and breath-taking facts that make this novel a classic. Facts that are told in such a manner that our children will be reading this masterpiece, growing and learning as humans. "As long as there is humanity there will be novel's like this." "Answer them with yeses." -Grandfather The Invisible Man lives with a haunting rememberance of his Grandfather, and his answer to the indifferences placed on the superiority of the races. Our main character fights with this throughout his life, stuggling to become a man of his own though and disposition. This novel takes you on that journey, revealling one man's ups and downs that eventually leads him into his invisibility.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Isolationism
Review: I don't consider this to be a book about race, per say. I think race is used as the context of the book because of the world in which the narrator lives. To me, this book was about isolationism. The narrator just can't seem to fit into society anywhere. He tries many things, and gets involved with various groups of people. Unfortunately, for him, even the people he is 'supposed' to trust end up disillusioning him or stabbing him in the back. As a result, he ends up living in the sewer drains and in a basement apartment no one knows exists. Ellison makes a break, in my view, from the classic mythological hero. Normally, a hero would return to his world after leaving it, accepting life and reality for what it is, and vowing to exist in it with his or her newfound knowledge. This doesn't happen in this book. To discuss Ellison' ability as a writer is absurd, because it is a given. He constantly puts his hero in incredibly disturbing, and wild situations, and we hope our hero can learn from them and move on. For better or for worse, he seems to give up on humanity, something I have been tempted to do on more than one occasion. On this level, I could relate to the character. As a read, this was one of the more original works that I have read, so real and true to the social climate of the country. It was very believable from start to finish, one of the few books that I simply couldn't put down. I was late to work many times because of this book. I think Ellison has a truly open mind, and has an understanding of all of the different kinds of people and viewpoints that make up our country.
Rating:
Summary: Changing Life
Review: The entirety of Invisible Man is based on the life-changing circumstances of one man. The name of this man is never disclosed keeping the reader anxious and curious. From the beginning and throughout the end of the novel, the "Invisible Man" encounters betrayal, deceit, rebellion, and eventually finds a place in this chaotic world. The theme of the novel is based on the continual change in his life and its structure is in some way circular. "Invisible Man" begins the novel with nothing, and ultimately possesses nothing. Possibly the intent of the book was to convey for society the difficulties and discrimination that the African race had to and still has to face, but believe that Ralph Ellison had a deeper purpose when he began writing this novel. I believe this novel relates to everyone's life in one way or another. But, the intent of this novel is solely up to the opinion of the reader. Ralph Ellison uses smooth diction and by stating smooth, I mean that the words and sentences flow well together and make the book fairly easily to read. His imagery is superb.
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