Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man (Barron's Book Notes) [Paperback]

Ralph Waldo Ellison (Author), Anthony S. Abbott (Author)

Book Description

Series: Barron's Book Notes | Publication Date: April 1985

A guide to reading "Invisible Man" with a critical and appreciative mind encouraging analysis of plot, style, form, and structure. Also includes background on the author's life and times, sample tests, term paper suggestions, and a reading list.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 11 Up-Bloom has assembled what he refers to as "...a representative selection of the most useful critical essays on the late Ralph Waldo Ellison's masterwork...." The 12 articles include such diverse views as the feminist analysis in Claudia Tate's search for the "Invisible Women," Philippe Whyte's meditations on what he believes are "Trickster" elements of the story, and Alan Nadel's tracings of the relationship of this novel to Twain's Huckleberry Finn, as well as the critical interpretations of Kenneth Burke, Joseph Frank, Kun Jong Lee, William Lyne, Berndt Ostendorf, Thomas Schaub, and Robert B. Stepto. These highly intellectual, esoteric essays are well documented, and the book concludes with brief paragraphs about the contributors. Although for a limited audience, this comprehensive volume will be useful where an in-depth critical analysis of Invisible Man is part of the English curriculum.
Lynda Short, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington, KY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 135 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (April 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812035208
• ISBN-13: 978-0812035209
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,067,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ellison: A Master of Words, March 11, 2001

By 

d sette - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invisible Man (Bloom's Reviews) (Paperback)

I truly believe that Ellison's condensed prose is one of the best novels I have ever written. If a person says that they do not enjoy this book, it is because they are bad readers who completely missed all the motifs, foils, and statements that Ellison says with this book. This book takes a serious, easily cliched, topic and works it so well that I felt the need to read this book multiple times. And even after all that, I still feel that I need to read it more, just as to sink into every line. It is a must read, for those who read to the fullest!

4 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I didn't like this book, March 14, 1999

By 

N. Baker "The Guy Who Reviewed This" (New York, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man (Bloom's Notes) (Paperback)

I found this to be one of the worst books i have ever read in my life. It is almost impossible to follow the storyline as the main characters perspective is amazingly introverted and scenes are sometime fragmented causing confusion. This story is nothing new and has been written since the invention of words a million times over, and i really have no comprehension of why this book is considered good literature

0 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars damn good, October 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man (Barron's Book Notes) (Paperback)

oh baby it was good, i liked it so much that i bought it for my baby brother.