Dear Ralph Ellison,
I am currently reading your book Invisible Man and it is a fantastic novel so far. There are many ways in which I can identify with the book, and it also seemed to predict the future in a way. The novel has such powerful and prevalent themes that it sucks you in with how relatable it is. For example, in the first chapter, we are shown a brawl amongst black men over money and all of the men are blinded. This scene has a great deal of symbolism and can be applied to today's media. The media blinds us and makes us fight one another rather than coming together and solving the real problems that are around us. Only those with a bit of education, like the narrator, can begin to see what is true versus what is false. Another example is when readers are introduced to Dr. Bledsoe and Mr. Norton. When Mr. Norton meets Trueblood and later on the veteran, he is shocked by what he hears, which shows his ignorance. For showing him this darker side of society, Bledsoe punishes the narrator, even though he did what was asked of him. This shows the corruption of society by saying that even if one does the right thing and speaks the truth, they are still punished and reprimanded because it is seen as "unpopular". Your book has had a great impact on me so far, and I hope there is even more to come.
Sincerely,
Stephen Cahoon
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