Battle Royal

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men. The white community is unwilling to look beyond their stereotypes of the role and place of black men. The school superintendent that had requested IM's appearance at the ballroom to give his speech was also the same man that brought the black men into the ballroom with the words, "Bring up the shines, gentlemen! Bring of the little shines!" (1527). A few days earlier IM had given a valedictorian speech that " . . . was a great success. Everyone praised [him] and. . . . It was a triumph for [his] whole community" (1526). In the environment of the smoker though, he was just another "shine", nothing worth any notation of any kind. However, IM is blind to this. He does not seem aware of his invisibility at that moment; his focus lies in the presentation of his speech. He is oblivious to the blindness of the white men in regards to him, but it is not only the white characters that refuse to see IM as IM sees himself.
IM is fully aware of the animosity of the men ...

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dollars less in their friend's pocket. The black men see IM as an unwanted member of their group. IM ignores this, turns a blind eye to it, because he has no desire to be a part of the same world as those men. The white men see IM as just another black man. IM is blind to this as well because he cannot accept it. It is not until he enters the ballroom that he is forced to glimpse at his place in reality.

The young men exit the elevator and look up to see a young white nude dancer gyrating around the room. "Some [of the white men] threatened [IM and the other black men] if [they] looked and others if [they] did not" (1527). IM is catapulted into facing what he has allowed himself ...

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