At the end of the beginning paragraph in “Battle Royal,” our narrator calls himself an invisible man. Take some time to consider what he means by that as you refer to the story. Have you ever felt invisible? If yes, describe the situation.

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(280 words). At the end of the beginning paragraph in “Battle Royal,” our narrator calls himself an invisible man. Take some time to consider what he means by that as you refer to the story. Have you ever felt invisible? If yes, describe the situation. If not, describe what it would feel like have no one ever notice you? Is there any connection between Ellison’s story and Dunbar’s poem?

We Wear the Mask

(by Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1896)

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, —

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

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