The symbols and language used in “Battle Royal” allow readers to understand the concept of being black in America; fight for equality. Symbols such as the white blindfold, the stripper, and the battle itself all give a hint as to how the nameless protagonist felt, but more importantly, Ralph Ellison's "Battle Royal" depicts the difficult struggles the black man faces in what is supposed to be a post-slavery period. era.Indeed, the narrator comes from a long lineage of black men who experienced the difficult struggles while trying to live alongside white people. The protagonist talks about his grandparents, who felt free after the civil war, but on his deathbed, however, the grandfather spoke to the narrator's father, telling the protagonist's father that he himself felt like a traitor. He advised the narrator's father to subvert the whites. The narrator recalls a speech he gave in high school, in which he talked about how to advance as a black man in America. With great success, the protagonist is invited to give this speech to the white citizens of his community. Upon arrival, the narrator is told to take part in what is called a battle royal; believing it to be part of the entertainment, the narrator agrees to take part in it. The white men then blindfold the young men and order them to start fighting each other. The narrator lasts until the last round, when he suffers a defeat. After the men remove their blindfolds, they lead the blacks onto a carpet covered in coins and bills. The boys dive for the money, but find an electric current running through the carpet. After enduring the battle royal, and when the time comes for the narrator to give his speech, all the white men laugh and ignore him. When the narrator accidentally says "social equality... in the center of the card... their eyes are away from the naked women dancing." The outbursts against black men are further evidence that during that time black men had little to nothing to say and did not feel equal to their white counterparts. Perhaps the most obvious symbol of all is the battle itself. White men pitted a group of black men against each other; the black men were in a no-win situation. Instead of expressing their displeasure with white men, black men were forced to vent their anger toward each other. The narrator also seems to seek the approval of white men; remembering his speech as he fights the other men. According to the protagonist: Should I try to win against the voice out there? Wouldn't that go against my point, and wouldn't this be a moment of humility, of non-resistance?” ( ). He is concerned with challenging white men; disappointing them by not performing well enough.