Racism is perceived as a very negative aspect of society. When most people think about racism, they see hate, evil, and ignorance. It has always existed since recorded history, and probably even before. There are many different forms of racism, but when you think about racism in America, you definitely think about the struggles that African Americans have faced for hundreds of years. American literature has been noted for its sometimes controversial, yet outspoken, approach to issues faced by people and minorities. Ralph Ellison is considered one of these authors after his novel The Invisible Man. It was published in 1953, before the civil rights movement was really strong. Ellison addresses the various forms of racism in this novel. His works explore a theme that American society ignores and oppresses African Americans. Ellison's work goes beyond a simple book and a few texts, but is the deepest cry of an African American who fought racism himself. Often people are really able to find themselves in difficult times. The narrator of the story may not have been able to fully find himself during his tribulations, but he reflected on life and thought more deeply about his true identity. This actually shows a positive element of racism, although subtle, still positive in that the narrator connects more with their inner self. Many people and institutions all embody racism throughout the novel. All of these people help the narrator mature intellectually. The narrator battles racism and himself throughout the novel and attempts to define himself through the expectations of others. Racism is simply defined as the belief that race explains differences in human character or ability, and that a particular race… . half of the paper ......cur quite often. The narrator may become increasingly invisible with each encounter, but this is not portrayed as a strictly bad thing. Ellison shows that this leads to freedom of mobility in the case of the narrator. Blindness and invisibility seem to go hand in hand in this novel because when one character becomes blind, another seems to become invisible, or more invisible in the narrator's case. The narrator notes that the people he comes in contact with do not want to see the harsh reality of racism and how it can affect others, so they avoid confrontation with the truth. This leads the narrator to live a life with the feeling of invisibility. Invisibility and blindness are two key concepts that help better define the theme of racism in this particular novel because they both play an important role in the narrator's life and the experiences he has during his travels.