In Ralph Ellison's first chapter of his novel,
Invisible Man, the "Battle Royal" creates a vivid portrayal of the
inequities between whites and blacks. Ellison's character is invited to give his graduation
address at a hotel; however, when he arrives, he is asked to join a group of men who are issued
boxing gloves and "fighting togs." The are ushered into a large, mirrored hall to fight for the
amusement of some of the important men in the town.
Ellison's
nameless narrator states that there is a dead silence as the young men notice facing them, a
"magnificent blonde--stark naked." Fearing that they be accused of looking at her, many lower
their heads. The narrator feels guilt and fear as his teeth chatter. The stripper, who has an
American flag tattooed low upon her belly stares at the narrator with "impersonal eyes."
Symbolically, Louis Althusser contends that the flag represents an iconic image, exerting power
over the males who see the stripper's tattoo. seeming to address each one individually. The
narrator states that the stripper seems to stare at him with "impersonal eyes." The stripper is
free to look without fear at the black men as "Old Glory" reminds them. So, even in her being
the object of exploitation herself--the flag often represents the sacrificed body. As such, no
one attains the satisfaction of touching her.
No comments:
Post a Comment