Novel Resources

“The act of writing requires a constant plunging back into the shadow of the past where time hovers ghostlike.”." --Ralph Ellison

The Character Map shows the characters that the Invisible Man interacts with in the North and South.

Invisible Man Blogs is a collection of student insights about the novel.

A Character Analysis of the major characters in the novel.

Themes of Invisible Man is an examination of the major thematic elements of the novel.

The Wikipedia Entry for Invisible Man could certainly use your assistance to become a better resource for future students.

Invisible Man Study Guide is a series of questions for some deep thought, organized by chapter.

Quotes from the Novel If you are looking for that perfect passage for an essay, this is the spot.

Reader Response Criticism -- A solid explanation of the meaning of Reader Response Criticism.

Introduction to Reader Response Criticism -- A simpler summary of Reader Response.

Bildungsroman Notes: Is Invisible Man an example of a bildungsroman?

Other Information About Ellison

“The blues is an art of ambiguity, an assertion of the irrepressibly human over all circumstances, whether created by others or by one's own human failing.”--Ralph Ellison

Featured Author: Ralph Ellison The New York Times looks at Ellison and his works.

PBS American Masters -- "A PBS feature, including a biographical essay about Ellison.

Ralph Ellison -- A review of a critical novel about Ellison and his life.

Black Boys and Native Sons -- an essay by Irving Howe about Ellison, James Baldwin, and Richard Wright.

An Interview with GGM, in which he discusses his writing, the cultural of Central America, and his writing.

Information about Music

“There must be possible a fiction which, leaving sociology and case histories to the scientists, can arrive at the truth about the human condition, here and now, with all the bright magic of the fairy tale.” --Ralph Ellison

The Lyrics to Black and Blue -- Compare and contrast these lyrics with the more commonly played version.

Invisible Man Album--This large (over 80 megs) file contains a collection of blues music for use while reading the novel.

PBS Classroom on the Blues--Great information about the blues and African-American culture.

The Ralph Ellison Project -- A really fascinating site with a number of diverse voices discussing Ellison and his impact on Jazz.

Booker T. Washington-- The inspiration for the novel's Founder.

Dialectical Historicism-- A graphic representation and notes about the view of the Brotherhood on history.

The Case of the Negro by Booker T. Washington--A look at Washington's approach to dealing with the race question.

Philosophy Resources

“By and large, the critics and readers gave me an affirmed sense of my identity as a writer. You might know this within yourself, but to have it affirmed by others is of utmost importance. Writing is, after all, a form of communication.” --Ralph Ellison

Notes About Existentialism -- My notes about existentialism and Ralph Ellison.

The Existentialism Primer-- a strong starting point to learn more about existentialism and its various branches.

Andre Malraux: Adventurer, Novelist, and Aesthete-- a brief biography and introduction to Malraux.

Review Material

“I am not ashamed of my grandparents for having been slaves. I am only ashamed of myself for having at one time being ashamed.”-Ralph Ellison

Spark Notes on Invisible Man --pretty basic stuff here, with analysis that is mostly superficial.

Random House Reading Guide Questions -- --critical questions about the novel.

Study/Review Questions -- A Willamette University study guide from a course about the novel. (Towards the bottom of the page)

Chapter Questions A great collection of chapter by chapter questions about the book.