English III GT
Summer Reading 2017 Assignment
Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man
(Do Not Confuse this with The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells!)
Read Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man and, after reading each section of the novel,
respond in one detailed paragraph (with textual evidence) to each prompt. 5 prompts = 5
paragraphs total (Each paragraph should be 8-10 sentences with at least two chunks, quotes
should be cited in MLA) Do not merely summarize the plot.
1. (Read Prologue – Chapter 5) Once, e.e. cummings claimed that “to be nobody but yourself –
in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight
the hardest battle which any human can fight, and never stop fighting.” In Ralph Ellison’s
Invisible Man, the main character experiences this battle firsthand, both physically and mentally.
Explain at least two of the obstacles that the main character must overcome in order to pursue his
dreams. End by predicting whether or not you believe that Ellison’s main character will be able
to achieve his American Dream by the end of the novel. Why or why not?
~At this point you can email your first paragraph to Mrs. Goebel or Mrs. Guillot for
notes/corrections (email addresses are on the next page).
2. (Read Ch. 6-10) Where in Invisible Man does Ellison—who was trained as a musician—use
language to musical effect? (For example, compare the description of the college campus on
pages 34-7 to Trueblood’s confession on 51-68, to the chapel scene on 110-135.) What different
sorts of language does Ellison employ in these and other passages? How does the “music” of
these sections—their rhythm, assonance, and alliteration—heighten their meaning or play against
it?
3. (Read Ch. 11-15) Palestinian American literary theorist and cultural critic Edward Said has
written that “Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the
unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true
home: its essential sadness can never be surmounted.” Yet Said has also said that exile can
become “a potent, even enriching” experience. How does the main character experience such a
rift and become cut off from his “home”? Is the main character’s experience with exile
alienating, enriching, or both? Explain.
4. (Read Ch. 16-20) 8. Throughout the book the narrator encounters a number of benefactors,
mentors, and role models. Describe two of these relationships that the main character has with
such men. What does the outcome of these relationships suggest about the possibility of
friendship or cooperation between the races? What characters in Invisible Man, if any, represent
sources of moral authority and stability?
5. (Read Ch. 21- Epilogue) One definition of madness is “mental delusion or the eccentric
behavior arising from it.” But Emily Dickinson explains, “Much madness is divinest Sense-/To a
discerning Eye.” Ralph Ellison sees madness with a “discerning Eye.” Invisible Man’s
seemingly irrational behavior plays an important role. What does his delusion or eccentric
behavior consists of? How it might be judged reasonable based on what he has gone through in
his life?
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The Paragraphs: Introduction statement with topic sentence--compelling thesis which makes an
assertion to be proved. Two chunks per paragraph. Make certain you use direct quotations for CD’s and
that you introduce the quotations with *transitions and *lead-ins that help the reader see the significance
of the quote. *Cite the pages of the CD’s parenthetically according to MLA Handbook guidelines. End
with a conclusion statement that enlightens the reader about the universal truth revealed through the work.
20 points each x 5 = 100 points
*Transitions are words that lead the reader to the idea – words such as first, for example, therefore, as a
result, finally, clearly, specifically, in fact, consequently, however, etc.
*Lead-ins establish the situation, the speaker and/or person spoken to, and the place/time setting of the
quotation
*Citations – Use MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (most recent edition) by Joseph
Gibaldi
All summer reading assignments DUE on the first day of school. You should have a typed and double
spaced paper copies of your responses to turn in on the first day of school. Use Times New Roman 12 pt.
font with true double space (Set your Word to no spacing before and after sentences). Prior to that, you
will need save your work digitally and will be given instructions on how to submit your summer reading
essays to your teacher’s turnitin.com account on your first day of school.
Questions? Email Mrs. Goebel over the summer at [email protected] or Mrs. Guillot at
[email protected]