Invisible Man

Gratitude Challenge - Week 24 - A Book You Learned From

Over Christmas break, I had to choose a book from a list of classics to read for my AP Literature class. According to my teacher, Invisible Man has been used on the test more than any other book, so, being the overachiever I am, I marched to the bookstore to purchase this book.

At my local used bookstore, I was elated to find the book for only $1. And, it was only around 100 pages. It was too good to be true.

I soon realized I had bought The Invisible Man (by H.G. Wells), not to be confused with Invisible Man (by Ralph Ellison). I decided I would probably read The Invisible Man another time, but I had to find the correct book. Luckily, my school library had a copy, but I was disappointed to see Invisible Man was well over 500 pages long.

Here I am, three weeks later, with one day of Christmas break left, blogging about the book instead of reading it. The photo to the right proves that the book was simply an excuse to drink more hot chocolate. Just kidding, I did read it, but blogging about it happens to be far more enjoyable.

I flew through the 572 pages of this book. Ellison wove a complicated story dealing with racism, deception, and identity; all while maintaining an anonymous main character. It took me nearly half the book to realize that the main character would not be named.

Although this book consumed a large portion of my Christmas break reading, I am thankful for the opportunity to read it. The world around me deals with many of the situations present in the book, and Ellison tackles these difficult topics with grace.

The book is titled Invisible Man because the African American man character is invisible to the world, for the world ignores him and his kin in times of need. I realized how much this topic applies to my life. How many times do I turn away from those in need or those I do not care to approach, rendering them invisible?

The theme of invisibility forces me to reckon with the people I ignore on a daily basis. As I return to school for my last semester as a senior, I will carry this lesson with me, for nobody deserves to be invisible.

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