Horror movie audiences can often be terrified by the idea of becoming completely invisible, yet still being hunted. Though ghosts or vampires might make…
Horror movie audiences can often be terrified by the idea of becoming completely invisible, yet still being hunted. Though ghosts or vampires might make your skin crawl, being invisible by any human eye is particularly terrifying. 2020’s The Invisible Man explores this concept brilliantly with Elisabeth Moss as an invisible man being hunted by a ruthless sociopath; but why is this tale of becoming hidden so captivating?
This story is both captivating and terrifying, while offering an important message: seeing others as individuals rather than stereotypes or caricatures – especially people whom society often views as invisible.
Ralph Ellison’s novel was published in the 1940s, and provides a vivid depiction of Black American life during the Harlem Renaissance. It chronicles many trials endured by its protagonist as he strived to find his place in an often hostile environment.
Though The Invisible Man contains elements of comedy, tragedy, action and science fiction, its primary theme is alienation. Through his experiences at college and encounters with white society he feels isolated and alienated both from society as a whole and ultimately himself.
The Invisible Man’s narrator is an acutely aware self-aware character who acts as an unwittingly hyperconscious narrator. Through an ulterior perspective as a narrator he regains narrative agency while also exposing flaws within the external world he inhabits. With a deeper level of self-awareness he breaks down his unconscious mind in pursuit of higher consciousness levels.
This process of self-discovery is central to the narrator’s journey to enlightenment; through it he gains strength to confront his oppressors and take charge of his destiny.
Though The Invisible Man does have its share of problems – such as its protagonist’s tendency to lie and eventual descent into madness – it remains an influential piece of literature and should be read by anyone seeking insight into American experience, African American history and struggles faced by Blacks throughout modern history.