Ralph Ellison Battle Royal Summary

Words: 577
Pages: 3
Open Document
“Battle Royal”, written by Ralph Ellison, A fight between two races. In reading this story, it begins with a nameless narrator having flashbacks to when he was younger. He gives details about a specific time when he was provided the opportunity to deliver a speech he had given at his graduation to some of the town’s leading white townsmen. When it’s time for him to deliver his speech, he is told he must fight in a “battle royal” with other black boys. After the fight is over, he is then provided the opportunity to deliver his speech to the townsmen. As a token of his work, he was given a briefcase which concealed a scholarship to the state college of Negroes. How does the story elements help bring its meaning out? This story sheds light on …show more content…
The narrator states at young age he had many question as to who he was as a person, “I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.” (Ellison). Ellison sticks with this theme throughout the story. As people, we to struggle to understand who we are at a young age. When your young you have the desire to do everything, but as you get older things start to make more sense. When you’re an African American it becomes even harder, especially during this time. The setting of the story seems to date back to the 1900’s, in the southern parts of the US, this is where segregation became a big issue. African Americans during this time were viewed differently, many had a hard time finding stability in society as far work and education. So, for many African Americans to get ahead they began to conform to the what the white people wanted and accept they couldn’t be themselves to get the education and employment opportunities they desired to have. The narrator speaks vividly about his grandfather’s views and how they affected him. His grandfather says, “I never told you, but our life is a war and I have been a traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy's country ever since I give up my gun back in the Reconstruction. Live with your head in the lion's mouth. I want you to overcome 'em with yeses, undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to
Show More

Related Documents: Ralph Ellison Battle Royal Summary

Great Gatsby Review

Novel Review 1) Title: The Great Gatsby Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald. 2) Summary: The Great Gatsby is told from the perspective of a man named Nick. Nick moves to New York to start a new job selling bonds. He moves in next door to a man named Jay Gatsby. Early on in his first summer there Nick goes to dinner at his cousin Daisy and his old friend Tom’s house. He meets Jordan Baker there. Later he attends one of Gatsby’s extravagant parties. He again meets up with Jordan and he also meets…

Words 9628 - Pages 39