Invisible Man

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Throughout the novel, the protagonist carries his briefcase with him.

• What might the briefcase symbolize about his journey? (topic sentence)
• Identify three examples form the text in which the briefcase is mentioned, then explain how they help us understand the protagonist’s character development.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, make a clear connection between your topic sentence and one of the following themes: Journey Toward Self-Understanding and Adult Identity or Race in 20th-Century America.

2. The protagonist is from the South, but Bledsoe sends him on a journey northward to New York. The protagonist also describes regional climates as he tells his story.

• What might the descriptions of the differing climates of the North and South reveal about the tone of the novel at different moments? How are these details about the setting important? (topic sentence)
• Identify three examples from the text in which the protagonist mentions the weather or his physical setting, and explain how these moments connect to the larger story.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, make a clear connection to the theme of Alienation from a Sense of Place Through Involuntary Resettlement.

3. Light and darkness are often used as symbols to represent how one is seen and perceived.

• How might this symbolism relate to the novel’s title? (topic sentence)
• Identify three examples in which lightness or darkness is mentioned in the text, and explain how each relates to the protagonist’s ideas about being seen versus being “invisible.” How does this help us understand what he means by “invisible?”
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, make a clear connection between your topic sentence and one of the following themes: of Journey Toward Self-Understanding and Adult Identity or Race in 20th-Century America.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Consider the role of women in this novel. With the exception of Mary Rambo, few women play major parts in the protagonist’s journey. However, as the protagonist points out, many white women in the novel have stereotypical thoughts about Black men and their sexuality, all of which are grounded in racist ideas. In your essay, analyze the protagonist’s encounters with women to develop an argument that answers the following questions:

• What is the role of women in this novel?
• How might the story be different if the protagonist were a woman instead of a man?  

2. The protagonist ultimately decides to secretly subvert the Brotherhood while pretending to support the goals of the organization. In your essay, analyze three instances in which the protagonist used this strategy, both against the Brotherhood and others. Be sure to address the following questions in your analysis:

• How did this strategy help African Americans resist the racial order without white folks even realizing?
• How does this help us better understand the dynamics of Race in 20th-Century America?

3. How is this story a journey of self-understanding? What does the protagonist learn about himself and how does he ultimately decide to contend with the racial tensions of his time? Write an essay in which you develop a strong central thesis and at least three examples from the text to support your argument. In your conclusion, make a clear connection to the theme of the Journey Toward Self-Understanding and Adult Identity.