History Literature / InvisibleMan

Considered one of the most important novels not only of the modern period but also of all time, it has been heralded for its portrayal of the horrific atrocities of racism and the rampant repression of African-American culture in post-Reconstruction South and New York City. [[RuleOfSymbolism Has been noted for its excessive use of symbolism.]]

In 2017 Hulu acquired the rights to make a TV series adaptation.

It is considered one of the most important novels not only of the modern period but also of all time. It has been heralded for its portrayal of the horrific atrocities of racism and the rampant repression of African-American culture in post-Reconstruction South and New York City. [[RuleOfSymbolism Has been noted for its excessive use of symbolism.]]

JustForFun/NotToBeConfusedWith '''''[[Literature/TheInvisibleMan The]]''' [[Literature/TheInvisibleMan Invisible Man]]'', a ScienceFiction novel by Creator/HGWells, much to the disappointment of numerous high school students.

* DarkMessiah: Ras the Exhorter, later known as Ras [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Destroyer]] is almost a deconstruction of this--he thinks he's a grand leader, but he's really just a fat, absurd fellow whom the {{Powers That Be}} have no trouble manipulating.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/invisible_man_1952_book_cover.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?"'']]

The first and only completed novel by the critic and reviewer Ralph Ellison, published in 1952 and extremely popular ever since, especially among English teachers and students of African American literature.

It is considered one of the most important novels not only of the modern period but also of all time. It has been heralded for its portrayal of the horrific atrocities of racism and the rampant repression of African-American culture in post-Reconstruction South and New York City. [[RuleOfSymbolism Has been noted for it's excessive use of symbolism.]]

[[quoteright:216:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/invisible_man.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:216:''Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?'']]

* GainaxEnding: In the final scene of the final numbered chapter of the novel, after witnessing a horrific scene of a race riot virtually reducing his native Harlem to a hellscape with roving gangs of looters, riot police, and a very insane Ras the Destroyer,]] the protagonist slips into a dream state in which he sees [[spoiler: the other characters who most notably influenced him throughout the novel [[GroinAttack castrating]] him, which he treats as a form of spiritual enlightenment. Nowhere else in the text does anything this out there ever happen.

* TheDitz: Trueblood is duller than a sack of hammers, which is the only explanation possible for ''accidentally'' raping your daughter. The narrator is this to a lesser extent, but is more naive than ditzy.

* BrokenAesop: Intentionally; Ellison thought there was something deeply wrong in society, but had no idea what to do to fix it.

* TheChessmaster: Both [[spoiler: Bledsoe and Brother Jack]] qualify. Each is also a VillainWithGoodPublicity.

* TheDitz: Trueblood, among others.

* DrivenToMadness: [[spoiler: By the end/beginning, the protagonist is siphoning electricity just so that he can turn on a bunch of scavenged lights to feel good, and taking full advantage of his "invisibility."]]
* DumbassNoMore: The end/beginning.
* ElephantInTheLivingRoom: The racial divide.
* EvilAllAlong: Practically everyone the narrator interacts with, but most notably [[spoiler: Dr. Bledsoe and Brother Jack.]]
* FlatWhat: The main character's mental response to [[spoiler: Todd Cliffton's]] Sambo dolls.
* GainaxEnding: In the final scene of the final numbered chapter of the novel, after witnessing [[spoiler: a horrific scene of a race riot virtually reducing his native Harlem to a hellscape with roving gangs of looters, riot police, and a very insane Ras the Destroyer,]] the protagonist slips into a dream state in which he sees [[spoiler: the other characters who most notably influenced him throughout the novel [[GroinAttack castrating]] him, which he treats as a form of spiritual enlightenment.]] Nowhere else in the text does anything this out there ever happen.

* GroinAttack: Near the end of the book, the narrator has a dream where [[spoiler: Dr. Bledsoe, Brother Jack, Mr. Emerson, Mr. Norton, Ras, and the Founder]] castrate him.

* LadyInRed: The woman who seduces the narrator.

* PathOfInspiration: [[spoiler:If it's possible to have a secular one, the Brotherhood is this in spades. Even the lower-ranking officials don't realize just how much the organization focuses on gaining power, and how little its highest-ranking members really care about helping the poor and downtrodden.]]
%%* ThePlan: Several kinds.

* SelfMadeMan: Bledsoe is one ([[spoiler:or at least pretends to be one, given how much he lies and schemes]]), while the title character tries to become one.

* TakeThat: To Horatio Alger, among others.
%%* TheStrategist: Amazingly enough, the main character can manage this despite being an idiot in most respects.

* UnwittingPawn: The narrator.
** He is [[spoiler: used by the brotherhood to drum up business with more blacks without actually accomplishing anything.]]
** [[spoiler: Dr. Bledsoe]] uses him to [[spoiler: make the school look good.]]
%%* UpperClassTwit: Sybil, among others.
%%* WhoWouldBeStupidEnough: How Bledsoe feels about the main character.

* MalcolmXerox: Ras the Exhorter - although this is before Malcolm X came to prominence, so more like Marcus Garvey Xerox.

%%* BlingOfWar: Ras loves this trope.

%%* UnwittingPawn. [[spoiler: The main character]]

[[caption-width-right:216:Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?]]

JustForFun/NotToBeConfusedWith '''''[[Literature/TheInvisibleMan The]]''' [[Literature/TheInvisibleMan Invisible Man]]'', a ScienceFiction novel by Creator/HGWells.

The first and only completed novel by the critic and reviewer Ralph Ellison, published in 1952 and extremely popular ever since.

[[quoteright:308:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/invisible_man_cover.jpg]]

The first and only completed novel by the critic and reviewer Ralph Ellison, published in 1952 and extremely popular ever since. The plot revolves around a young black man who is determined to rise to a position of influence, but is ignorant of the amount of lying and scheming that will take. As he bounces from one situation to another in search of power, both hears the words and witnesses the actions of various people and groups who're manipulating the racial divide.

NotToBeConfusedWith '''''[[Literature/TheInvisibleMan The]]''' [[Literature/TheInvisibleMan Invisible Man]]'', a ScienceFiction novel by Creator/HGWells.

* GainaxEnding: In the final scene of the final numbered chapter of the novel, after witnessing [[spoiler: a horrific scene of a race riot virtually reducing his native Harlem to a hellscape with roving gangs of looters, riot police, and a very insane Ras the Destroyer,]] the protagonist slips into a dream state in which he sees [[spoiler: the other characters who most notably influenced him throughout the novel castrating him, which he treats as a form of spiritual enlightenment.]] Nowhere else in the text does anything this out there ever happen.

* BarBrawl: In this universe, the requirement to get into college, if you're black, is beating the shit out of other black men under the amused eye of white sponsors.

* AlternateUniverse: Noted to resemble 40s-60s America, but heavily distorted and stuffed with metaphors to be different enough, such as: in order to get an education black people have to beat the tar out of each other for the upper white class's amusement.

* AlternateUniverse: Noted to resemble 40s-60s America, but heavily distorted and stuffed with metaphors to be different enough, such as the requirement of getting an education if black is beating the tar out of each other for the upper white class's amusement.

* CharacterFilibuster: the main character leads political rallies, so this is kind of [[JustifiedTrope a given]].

* LoveFreak: The main character fluctuates between this and TheMessiah, but is ultimately more the former than the latter. Also something of a {{Pollyanna}} and a HorribleJudgeOfCharacter, and has elements of {{The Fool}}, but he's more of a {{Butt Monkey}} than that makes him sound. We might as well call him an {{Idiot Hero}}, too. Need it be stated that he's a {{Wide Eyed Idealist}}?

NotToBeConfusedWith '''''[[Literature/TheInvisibleMan The]]''' [[Literature/TheInvisibleMan Invisible Man]]'', a ScienceFiction novel by HGWells.