Monica Kempski Timed Writing Essay Rewrite

Throughout Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, IM struggles to find himself. Towards

the closing of the novel, IM comes to moral reconciliation with himself. He learns to
ignore the racist society by being the best person he can be, coming to terms with who he
is.
IM’s moral reconciliation is developed through his struggle with racism, and his
quest for an identity. In the novel, IM is constantly being degraded in the south because
he is black. Southern African Americans such as IM are being stripped of an identity as a
whole. In the Battle Royal, IM and other blacks are torn of their dignity in a ferocious
boxing ring. The white audience did not see them as individuals, but as animals. Thus,
they were stripped of their human identity. Soon, IM is sent to the north. Initially, IM
thinks the world of Harlem, where blacks have opportunity and openness. The Society of
the Brotherhood in Harlem also eradicated IM’s identity. Here, he learned not to speak
for himself, but for a racist society. IM was tricked into thinking he was making better for
himself by voicing issues to the public. Here, he felt important as an orator and speaker (a
potential identity) but in turn, it was a lie.
When IM sees that he needs to ignore racism and form his own identity, he
ultimately helps society as a whole. Through Brother Clifton’s eulogy, IM forms his own
identity. He speaks his thoughts and comes to peace with himself as a man on a mission.
In the eulogy, he presents his findings to the dispossessed black public. In doing so, he
addresses the racism that holds blacks down. IM is beating the white thought of black
being unimportant. IM is finally heard and visible to a white dominant society. In result,
other blacks and minorities will be inspired and motivated to do their part by voicing
their opinions. IM hopes to encourage constant uprisings that will make minorities
achieve what they desire. While underground, IM knows that he must emerge in a racist
society fully fresh and ready to speak for himself. IM uses his newfound identity as a
speaker to remove tension and dispossession of equality in society.
IM achieves his moral reconciliation through his realization of an imperfect world
and that he must learn to live with it. With a discovered identity, he is beating invisibility
and helping the minorities emerge to equality. “Who knows for at the lowest frequencies
I speak for you?”