Invisible Man

Lesson 3
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ELA

Unit 1

12th Grade

Lesson 3 of 36

Objective


Explain how the author develops the motifs of invisibility and blindness in Chapter 1.

Explain the connection between the novel and the article.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison  pp. 15 – 23

  • Article: “The Hero’s Journey” by Joseph Campbell 

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Target Task


Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the overall relationship between the “Hero’s Journey” article and the novel?

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Sample Response

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The narrator’s description of his grandfather in line 4 of p. 16 (“it was he who caused the trouble”) most nearly implies that

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Sample Response

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Writing Prompt

Is the narrator’s grandfather “blind” (metaphorically speaking)? Explain your answer using evidence from the text.

Key Questions


  • What is the setting of chapter 1? How does it relate to the prologue?
  • What does the grandfather's message mean? What is he critiquing about his own life? What is he asking his family to do instead? Why? (p. 17)
  • How does the narrator respond to his grandfather's words? At that moment? At other points in the chapter?
  • In the prologue, the narrator talks about people who can't "see him." This motif of blindness returns in chapter 1 with both literal and figurative blindness. Who is literally blinded (the boys with blindfolds)? Who is more metaphorically blind? (the white men cheering - they refuse to see the boys as human beings)
  • In what ways are the boys also metaphorically blind? (they don't initially see the racist motives of the white men - cheering for them to kill each other as entertainment) The narrator? (he still thinks that he can impress the white men and make them respect him if he delivers a good speech, etc. He does not yet see that these racist white men are dictating to him how he must live his life)
  • Would you consider the grandfather to also be metaphorically blind? Why or why not? What evidence supports your position?
  • What is the connection between the article and the story? In which stage would you place the protagonist in the prologue? Chapter 1? Why?

Notes


  • Students should read the article "The Hero's Journey" prior to this class.
  • Posting the stages of the Hero's Journey in the classroom will aid in tracking the narrator's progress through this archetypal journey.

Next

Explain the impact of the Battle Royal on the narrator.

Explain how the author uses the motif of blindness/invisibility to develop theme.

Lesson 4
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