Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison

Ellison's book is about a man who believes that he has become invisible.
Invisible to the people around him and especially to the society at
large. This invisiblity is tied into a loss of identity so deep that
the narrartor never even names himself.
The novel is a history of a black man from the south. The first chapter
(very powerfully) tells of a speech that he gave at his graduation
dealing with 'humility'. The speech was so well received that the local
(white) businessmen invite him to reprise it at a function of theirs.
Before the talk he's invited to join a 'battle royal' where a number of
black men are made to fight each other blindfolded in a ring. After
this savagry he gives his speech and is rewareded with a scholarship to
a black college.
That's only the beginning of his lifetime education as he encounters
betrayal after betrayal. People he respects see him only as a tool and
try to use him for their own purposes. He's not seen as a man but a
prop. His community is sacrificed for the needs of 'brotherhood'.
Having no where to turn he becomes a hermit, searching for truth before
breaking back into the world.
This book was written in post world war two America and it reflects the
confusion of society in regards to race. The narrartor is given many
options but none of them turn out well. He explores all the paths he
can find but is ultimatly frustrated that none lead where he wants to
go. Even the choice between being an individual or a part of black
society is difficult. The biggest question is whether to choose a path
of personal improvement or to demand equality with the threat of
violence. It's a powerful book, all the more so for it's lack of clear
answers.