Signs And Symbols Of Racism In Battle Royal By Ralph Ellison

Signs and symbols of racism in america before integration In the late 1940’s in the south there was still segregation in schools, business, and most public places. In Ralph Ellison s â€Å"Battle Royal† he writes about an incident that he himself witnessed. The events and attitudes that he witnessed occurred regularly. Blacks in general were treated as less important, as second class citizens, and at times like animals. This type of behavior was treated so much as the norm that the boy was happy to be invited and join in the activities like it was a great honor. Using a marxist and symbolistic approach we will explore the symbols to discover the reasons behind the behaviors and attitudes displayed in this story. The battle royal itself†¦show more content†¦Many of them have probably never seen a real naked woman let alone a white one. The naked woman is blond and beautiful but also cold and remote. As the white men bring the boys in and require them to look at her it gives the men a rush of power that adds to the excitement of the situation. All men have natural reactions that happen when they see naked women. These poor boys have been taught their whole live to not look at white women at all and certainly never show any lustful thought or feelings toward or in relation to white women. And here they are in boxing shorts being forced to look at a beautiful naked white woman. When the boys bodies betray their natural reactions and try to show some respect and modesty by trying to leave the white men require them to stay and watch. As the woman begins to dance this adds to the erotic situation for the men. There is a sense of erotic power created for the white men by forcing the boys to look at what they cannot touch knowing that the white men can have it at any time they choose. â€Å" As in the battle royal, the townsmen use the bodies of black men to give vicarious expression to desires that are ordinarily repressed. While these white men are clearly aroused by the sight of the nude female dancer, most of them refrain from physically expressing their state of excitation.†(Kim.314) Watching the dancer was a lustful experience while the fight gave an outlet for the violent behaviors that areShow MoreRelatedRevelations Of The Fictional Characters Of Ralph Ellison s Invisible Man1402 Words   |  6 PagesDrew Wiseman Mrs. McElroy AP English 12 September 3, 2012 Revelations of the Protagonist In Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, the main character goes through a spiritual realization just as Meursault does in Albert Camus’ The Stranger. In the Invisible Man, Dr. Bledsoe leads the protagonist astray to the fabled Harlem of New York City. Once the narrator arrives in Harlem, it becomes apparent that he was sent to Harlem as a punishment and has been permanently expelled from black college. The narratorRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 Pagesand fed them. Ms. Bethune suggested that Hughes go on a reading tour of the South. To pay expenses, she suggested that he autograph and sell inexpensive copies of his books. Hughes liked the idea. In 1931, when Hughes returned to Harlem, he saw signs of the Depression--run-down buildings, garbage littered streets, and wide-spread unemployment. In reaction, he submitted bitter anti-capitalist poetry, articles, and a one-act play to New Masses, a magazine edited by Whittaker Chambers and supported