More commonly in literature, the concept of invisibility is taken to the extreme effect of being physically transparent and invisible to anyone. In popular media, the hero is also often depicted as invisible, going behind the enemy's back to complete his mission. In Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, this view of invisibility is reversed; instead of being invisible and being noticed, a man is there for everyone to see; however, due to a series of stereotypes and prejudices, no one recognizes what he achieves. Starting his journey as a man who keeps to himself by doing what he's told, he is soon forced to leave and go elsewhere to "find" himself. This change puts him in a position where he can be more amenable to the more common concept of invisibility, one who fights for fairer rights without anyone noticing him. Our nameless hero (hereinafter referred to as "the narrator") takes us on a journey that extends the concepts of both invisible pacifist and aggressor. At first, the narrator is an anxious and eager prospective college student who only wants to please his superiors and do what they ask. He goes to the town hall to give a speech and is subsequently forced to participate in the “battle royal” that will be fought by some of his classmates (including black ones) for the entertainment of the white men. This scene is one of many that serve as metaphorical and symbolic representations of invisibility and the related theme of blindness. Walton Muyumba, a literary critic, agrees with this and states that “Ellison blindfolds boys to interpret his themes of blindness and invisibility in the context of white audiences” (Walton Muyumba 60). In short, the blindfolds serve as a symbol through... paper... of events that make him see that he is invisible. Ralph Ellison's use of invisibility aids his attempt to illustrate the imperfections of society. As is evident from the massive critical acclaim and acclaim as a masterpiece, it was successful. Works Cited Auden, W. H. "The Unknown Citizen." Poet.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. December 10, 2013.Ellison, Ralph. The invisible man. New York: Vintage International, 1995. Print.Muyumba, W. (2009), “Black Is, Black Is Not: Violence, Black Masculinity, and the Novel as a Democratic Symbol.” In Muyumba, W. (2009) The Shadow and the Act: Black Intellectual Practice, Jazz Improvisation, and Philosophical Pragmatism. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, pp. 49-89. "Racism as an obstacle to individual identity". Thesis on racism as an obstacle to individual identity with 1699. Paperdue.com, nd Web. 9 December. 2013