The Distinguished Works of the Preeminent Black Author,...

The Distinguished Works of the Preeminent Black Author, Ralph Ellison Ralph Ellison is one of the most lauded yet misunderstood writers of the twentieth century. Ellison is considered a short-story writer and an essayist at heart, but his most distinguished work is the novel, Invisible Man. Ellison has been called everything from the greatest black American author (Brennan) to unnecessarily excessive in his writing style (Ralph Ellison: 1914-1994). For the most part, Ellison is held in high regard in the literary community. The critical consensus on Ralph Ellison is that he is one of the most influential and passionate authors of his generation. Ralph Waldo Ellison was born on March 1, 1914 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Lewis†¦show more content†¦In 1986, Going To The Territory, another compilation of essays, was published (Kennedy and Gioia). On April 16, 1994, Ralph Waldo Ellison died from cancer in his home in New York City. Subsequent collections of Ellisons work were published posthumously including The Collected Essays of Ralph Ellison in 1995 and Flying Home and Other Stories in 1996. Ellisons final novel, Juneteenth, which was near completion at the time of his death, was published in 1999 (Kennedy and Gioia). Even after his death, Ellisons work lives on as a testament to his talent. His stories still hold significance today and his works are still receiving honors even after his death. Most scholars accept Invisible Man as Ellisons preeminent work. In 1965, a group of literary scholars polled by The New York Herald Tribune voted Invisible Man as the most distinguished novel written by an American during the previous 20 years (Mitgang). Invisible Man is the story of the struggles of a black man in an oppressive, white society. Although this story is technically fiction, many of the events mirror the life of Ellison. The main character in Invisible Man is at first naà ¯ve about the prejudices of white society and acts accordingly. As the story progresses, through experience he becomes aware of societys injustices and his attitude becomes cautious. It is these experiences in which the naà ¯ve hero learns, to hisShow MoreRelatedLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 PagesAgathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated G oethe’s novel into English, and after its publication in 1824, many British authors wrote novels inspired by it.[10][11] In the 20th century, it spread to Germany, Britain,[12] France,[13][14] and several other countries around the globe.[15] The genre translates fairly directly into cinematic form, the coming-of-age film. Plot