Summary and Analysis

Summary

The narrator starts the chapter by mentioning his story from 20 years ago. "It does a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I had been looking for what it was" (Ellison 15). He was naive and did not have a true sense of mind, and it took him a while to understand life to the fullest and for what it was worth. He then recounts his grandparents being formerly enslaved people before the American Civil War, and he used to feel ashamed. Now he feels ashamed that he was ashamed. "I am only ashamed of myself for having at one time been ashamed" (Ellison 15). He recalls his grandfather's dying words, "Son, after I'm gone I want you to keep up the good fight. I never told you, but our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy's country … I want you to overcome 'em with yeses." His family is alarmed by these words and tells the narrator to ignore them as they gave everyone anxiety, yet the phrase’s true meaning remained unknown. The narrator is warned by his parents to forget his grandfather’s words. However, they stick with him because he doesn’t understand its meaning yet.

The narrator then is invited to give a speech at a local town gathering of white citizens. He originally gave his speech for his high school graduation and was invited to perform it again at a local gathering. When he arrived at the area, he was told to participate in the events which involved the whites watching and ridiculing the blacks. With him are many other black boys who are then taken to the front of the room where they watch a naked blond woman performing for the town leaders. “A sea of faces, some hostile, some amused, ringed around us, and in the center, facing us, stood a magnificent blond - stark naked'“(Ellison 19). The boys are then taken to a boxing ring where they fight each other for entertainment. They are all forced into it even if they don’t want to. The narrator tries to get out of much physical contact by faking a knockout, but the opponent realizes and continues to punch him. “Blindfolded, I could no longer control my motions. I had no dignity. I stumbled about like a baby or a drunken man” (Ellison 22). After the painful and embarrassing experience, the narrator is finally permitted to give his speech. He is made fun of and humiliated while giving his speech, but still continues on. He is then gifted a scholarship to a local college to which he was rejoyced.

Analysis

Chapter 1, consisted of four key events: the narrator's grandfather’s death quote, the naked blond’s dance, the boxing ring, and the speech. The scene of his grandfather was describing a past state of mind where his life and purpose was unclear to him. He reflects on an earlier period of the 20th century, about many African Americans felt ashamed to have ancestors in slavery. The scene of the naked women was added to symbolize sexual power, something that the black boys were taught morally was forbidden for them. Inviting the women was insulting the black culture and sort of torturing them by making them watch. The scene of boxing scene was forcing the “naive” narrator into a violent and tumultuous area making him feel uncomfortable. In this scene, the narrator compares the fight to life, and life is a struggle for survival. The last scene is the speech in which the narrator uses plenty of literary devices to appeal to the readers’ emotions and keep them engaged in the scene. By using imagery, the readers were interested into the book and kept reading.

Themes

Racism

Power

Self Interest

Invisibility

Identity

Humility

Submission

Ambition

Dreams