I've obviously read Invisible Man before, but each time it seems like the social relevance and symbolism become increasingly vital and complex. The theme of light and lightness is always so intriguing and after my second read, I still can't say this symbolism is completely clear to me. Maybe that's the point-- It would be pretty boring if all of the relationships and metaphors throughout the book were surface-level and effortless to comprehend. But still, this post is basically going to consist of two things:
1. I'll explain what I think the symbolism could be/is
2. I want somebody/some people to tell me what they think
This might be best facilitated in a classroom with multiple opinions, but let's give it a try.
1. To steal the unnamed narrator's words, "Perhaps you'll think it's strange that an invisible man should need light, desire light, love light. But maybe it is exactly because I am invisible. Light confirms my reality, gives birth to my form" (6). So, my guess is and has been that light represents both visibility-- or the end of his invisibility-- and power. From an anthropological perspective, the possession of fire (which casts light) was incredibly crucial to human survival and power structuring. Electricity itself was once reserved for the aristocratic elite. Is the narrator's secret acquirement of light symbolic of his process of building up power in his hibernation before he finally takes action? The process he has of tapping the building's wiring seems like he's secretly building up an ammunition of power for later action, although based on the plot, this is a contestable view.
2. Weigh in. Andddd go.
I agree that light symbolizes power. I also took it as a direct reference to white society, and how "light" aka light-skinned people were held in higher esteem during this time (before Civil Rights). I was later struck when I thought back upon his desire to fill even the floor with lights - it seems ironic to me. He has lived his life as a successful black male who was considered successful (for his "type") by white society. But he has never been a part of their society, even though he has been around numerous white people. (An elementary comparison: in his apartment when the lights are on....he is the one black person in a sea of white.) This may be a stretch but..The white lights could be paralleled to the white people he's grown up around. He talks of being humble toward whites and respected by whites, but now he's sitting in his secret apartment ready for action…His apartment that was originally dark but he made it light. In an earlier part of the book, part of a sermon is that blackness came first when the earth was created, and as the sermon went on the word “black” had negative connotations. He’s saying that he’s going to stop pretending around society. He may not be “light”, but he is now surrounded by light (power) in more ways than one. He no longer wants to feel like a traitor by smiling and accepting everything. "Several years ago...I went through the routine process of buying service and paying their outrageous rates. But no more." This is referring to his experiences as an "invisible" man in society... He's not going to be invisible to society anymore.
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