Rating: 
Summary: invisibility or conformity
Review: In my opinion, the narrator is invisible by choice. After trying most of his life to be seen, he finds that people only use him and take advantage of him. No matter how well he thinks he is getting along and how far he believes he is moving up, someone cuts him back down. Even in the Brotherhood (communist party): as soon as he starts making progress and he believes he is on to something, he is reminded that he isn't supposed to think, that he needs to follow the comittee, that he is only a tool. Thus, in order to preserve his individuality, he chooses to become invisible. Through his experiences, he finds that it is impossible to become visible and still be an individual. The thousands of lights in the hole, then, is a good conclusion and summary: no matter how brightly he lights himself up, no one will ever truly see him. But because he accepts that fact, he is able to keep his mind free.
Rating:
Summary: facing invisibility
Review: in 9th grade i wrote a poem "I am Invisible" & i was; others couldn't see what i wouldn't see myself... in 10th grade, & again in 12th i read Ralph Ellisons "Inivisible Man"... both times it left me a litte dizzy... the first time aware i am not unique in my search for self, the second aware i truly see so few people, even those i call my friendsso let the words wrap you, lyrical rebellion against inevitable invisibility, and when you wake from the dream of this novel perhaps face your own blindness...to others...and to yourself
Rating:
Summary: An excellent depiction of a black boy in the 1950's
Review: Story of black boy and his trials in a white world. Tells more about American cultural history than a textbook
Rating: 
Summary: great in showing the nature of finding yourself
Review: This book shows how a person can find himself in a world whererace really does matter. This is a powerful novel. A lot of youngblack Americans should read this. If you are struggling and need to find yourself, this book gives you the courage to do so.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: This book was very good. I could relate to the anonomous protagonist's struggle to find himself. At the beging of the novel, i hated him. He was so worried about pleasing people, white people in particular. but at the End of the novel he realized that the only person he needed to worry about pleasing was his self. He leard how to not distort himself to fit other people's molds.
Rating: 
Summary: I wouldn't exactly call it the best novel in the 20th cent
Review: I chose this novel to read for English. It was not the kind of book that I couldn't put down, but I was able to stick with the story. The ending was absolutely horrible. There was nothing exciting or revolutionary about what he decided to do with the rest of his "invisible" life. The worst part of the book is the 10 page report I'm being forced to do that deals with the aspects of racism in the novel. If anyone has any ideas or helpful points about racism in the novel, please email me.
Rating:
Summary: Classic, schmassic; read it because it's a GAS
Review: Don't waste too much time genuflecting over this book because it's supposed to be a "masterpiece" (snore). Just read it for kicks. If Kafka had been a young African American man in Harlem in the 1940s (and if he'd been a little bit funnier), this is what he might have come up with.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and Disappointing. Great listen but abrupt ending
Review: Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to Joe Morton's outstanding reading of Ralph Ellison's The Invisible Man. The reading was superb in everyway and Mr. Morton deserves the highest praise. However, I was surprised to discover the last chapter and the epilogue are not included on the tape. I found this to be a terrible omission and need clarification. Was this intentional on Random House's part, since the last chapter and the epilogue are essential to the novel? The tape ran to the very end. It was the eleventh tape in an eleven tape unabridged box set, and therefore its omission was startling if not incomprehensible to what had been the best listening experience of the summer.
Rating:
Summary: Perhaps the greatest American novel ever
Review: I am startled to find how many people fail to recognize the significance of this masterpiece. Invisible Man is not about racism in America, even though the central character is black and certainly encounters prejudice during his journey. Rather, Ellison attempts to portray the struggles all people face in an attempt to gain respect and the power to retain it. Even that is a gross understatement. Ellison's most striking sentiment urges everyone to avoid the monster of conformity. As Invisible Man's dream of castration clearly suggests, individuality must be preserved against this monster. Without this, one cannot gain or earn respect. It appears that the Invisible Man has finally learned this after all his struggles, but then again, he continues on as before, reluctant to leave his protective underground lair. Perhaps this is Ellison's as well as Invisible Man's legacy. We must dare to be different, but seldom do we realize the value.
Rating:
Summary: Not Worth The Time
Review: I was forced to read this book for my English class next year. It was very slow at times (most times) and hard to understand. Do something better with your time.
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