ApEnglishPeriod1

RhetoricalAnalysisEssay
DaisyLuna
InInvisibleMan,RalphEllisondescribesindetailwhatitistobeinvisible.Ellisonspurposeis
todemonstratewhythemaincharacterdescribeshimselfasanInvisibleMan.Hisdictionanduseof
imageryestablishesthewaythemaincharacterfeelsaboutbeinginvisible.
EllisonbeginsbyannouncingthatheisanInvisibleMan.Bysharingthiswiththeaudiencewe
askourselveswhyitisthatheexpressesthisway.HefollowsbyIaminvisible,understand,simply
becausepeoplerefusetoseeme.Heisnotsayingthatheisliterallyinvisibleandthatyouseenothing
whenyouturntohimbut,hesinvisibleinthewaythatpeopledontwanttorealisethetypeofperson
thatheis.Neglectingtorealisewhathisinnerselfisabout.Whentheyapproachmetheyseeonlymy
surroundings,themselvesorfigmentsoftheirimaginationindeedeverythingandanythingexceptme.
Hestartsoffbyusingthewordsurroundingsandattheendofthesentenceheendswithanything
exceptmeOncemorethisshowshowhefeelsinvisiblewiththeactionsthatpeoplehavewhenbeing
aroundhim.Goingwithwhatisoutsidewhichissurroundinghimandnothimasapersonbecause
anythingiswhatstopsthemfromgettingtohisinnerself.
Beingrecognizediswhatthecharacterwisheshewas,ratherthanbeinginvisible.HestatesI
amamanofsubstance,fleshandbone,fiberandliquidsandImightevenbesaidtopossessamind.
RalphEllisonincludesthistoshowwhatisgoinginsidethemaincharactersmind.Knowingthatheisa
manmadeoutofflesh,bone,fiber,andliquids.Amanthatshouldntbeinvisibletoothersforhis
outershellwhenheisjustlikeanyotherhumanontheinside.Attheendofthesentencehesaisthatitis
saidthathemightevenpossessamind.Hebelievesthatheisamanwiththepotentialofcontrollinga
mindbutpeopledontknowthatsincetheydontknowwhathereallyisabout.
Ellisonusesstrongdictiontodeliverhispurposetotheaudience.Themaincharacterinthe
novelrevealshimselfasanInvisibleManandRalphEllisonusingrhetoricalstrategiessupportshis
cause.