Taylor C.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Philosophy in Invisible Man
In class, we have been researching different philosophies and are comparing those ideals to novels we have read in class. I read Invisible Man, and found existential beliefs to have a significant part in the meaning of the novel. Existentialism is based around the individual, and follows that a single person controls the outcome of their life. The father of existentialism, Kiekegaard, highlights the importance of the "single individual" and personal choice. These values clearly relate to the narrator in Invisible Man, who throughout his whole life was pushed around and told what to do and what to believe. He had no individuality himself; while a part of the Brotherhood, he had to preach the beliefs the Brotherhood had, without the ability to throw in any personal thoughts. He was merely their puppet. By the end of the novel, the narrator began to realize he did not know who he truly was, and therefore ended up underground with tons of lights, mentally making himself seen and stand out. It was here where he found his individuality and began to make his own choices, knowing from past mistakes of trusting the wrong people, that he was the only one he could entrust his future to. This finding of himself gave his life meaning and a purpose, therefore falling under the existentialist philosophy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I too read Invisible Man and found existentialism to play a major role in the way the narrator acted. He grew up on the fundamentals that in order for him to be successful as a black man, he had to go to school and do as the white man said. Yet, after being expelled and sent to New York he began to come into his own a little more. I think that on the surface, existentialism is an important idea to consider. The individual should have the right to do and believe what they want as long as it isn't going to hurt anyone else.
ReplyDelete- Shelby H
I really like this idea you mentioned Shelby, that "The individual should have the right to do and believe what they want as long as it isn't going to hurt anyone else". Working on my senior memoir book is putting my life into persepective and reflecting on who I am. I feel that by the end of this asignment, I will have a clear view of who I am as a person and what I believe in. It is similar to Invisible Man in that he too found himself through reflection. I completely agree with you, we as individuals decide who we are, and as long as we are happy with that person, no one can change our perspective.
ReplyDelete-Taylor C.
I found that the point in the novel where existential ideas are most apparent is in the end. In a table discussion, a peer was discussing the idea of the burning of his high school diploma as tragedy; however, i viewed it differently. I saw the burning of all his possessions as signifying the burning of his past controlled by others, a new beginning. This was his realization that his path in life had to be realized by his own decisions. While the protagonist may be "invisible" to the world around him, at least he's true to himself.
ReplyDelete~Vanessa S.