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Battle Royale - College Essays

Battle Royale

Ralph Ellison begins the story of the main character's life with the Battle Royal episode, setting the tone for the rest of the book, as well as providing a symbolic statement on race relations in America. The main character delivers a speech to his graduating class. In the speech, the narrator advocates "humility was the secret, indeed, the very essence of progress." However, he states that he does not believe in the statement, he only believes that "it worked." He believes in possibilities that he has never seen for himself. At this point of the novel, he is idealistic and thinks he will be able to overcome the obstacles to equality by proving himself in the white man's world, on ...

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in white society and that society is arranged to create conflict within the black community. The narrator states "In those pre-invisible days I visualized myself as a potential Booker T. Washington." Booker T. Washington was known for advocating working within the white community, quietly and without protest to gain status in the white society. The view that makes this a possibility is discarded by the narrator later in his life, but it is important to note he believes in the theory at this point in the novel. The narrator, when speaking of the boys he is to fight, states he feels "superior to them in my way." The conflict is shown between blacks who are educated and cultured according to white standards and blacks who aren't. Society is geared to create conflict within the black community, inhibiting progress. The members of the community fight with each other and do not form a cohesive organization, which would prove threatening to the white societal structure. The ...

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 10/15/2007 01:26:17 PM
Category: Book Reports
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 708
Pages: 3

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