Alya Zulfikar

The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

Alya Zulfikar, Ahmad Bukhori Muslim*

English Language and Literature
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
alyazulfikar1@student.upi.edu

ABSTRACT
Racism has always been a never-ending issue in society; one
specific racist act is whiteness. The issue of whiteness is still
considered an inevitable issue that is still happening until today,
and it gives negative impact on the non-white. The issue of racism
is often analyzed as a form of prejudice, stereotype, and
discrimination. However, the issue of racism is a general issue.
Thus, the present research attempts to portray the specific act of
racism, which is whiteness. The novel Invisible Man (1952) by
Ralph Ellison brings the issue of racism. By using Garner (2007)
theory of whiteness, the issue of racism that is present in the novel
is analyzed under the four themes of whiteness to provide an
alternative understanding of the issue of racism through the lens
of whiteness. This research entitled “The Representation of
Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man” attempts to reveal
how whiteness is constructed as a racist act in the society which
becomes the central issue of the novel. This research employs
Young’s (1999) theory of representation and Garner’s (2007)
theory of whiteness to provides another perspective of whiteness
by portraying the themes of whiteness, and how it is constructed
in society. The findings show that the issue of whiteness is
dominantly exercised through terror and supremacy, and it makes
the non-white feel inferior to the White.

Keywords: whiteness, white privilege, white supremacy

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INTRODUCTION
Until today, the issue of racism is still raise humanity issues because
happening. Back into the age of everyone can relate to literature.
slavery, White enslaved the non-
One such work is Ralph Ellison’s
white. The aftermath of slavery can be
(1952) Invisible Man, which brings
seen in how society was then
the issue of racism by showing the
constructed. White define themselves
discrimination towards Black in
as “The Self” and assign the non-
American society. Set in New York
white as “The Other”. White is
City, the major center of African-
influential because they have the
American culture. The narrator, who
advantage to define people of
is a black man, is portrayed as the
different skin color as a result of the
invisible man. The term “invisible
construction of their whiteness; they
man” in the novel does not refer to a
exercise their power to discriminate
person who is physically invisible or
the non-white. As history shows,
has the power to be invisible in front
White used to enslave the non-white
of other people. It refers to someone
and also used to colonize other
who is invisible in the eye of the
countries of the non-white.
majority members of the society who
Nowadays, although the colonial era
are White. His invisibility is mainly
has ended, discrimination to the non-
because of his skin color.
white are still happening. Some of the
White still think that they are superior White, in the story, exercise their
because they are white. It is apparent power of being White by
that White is giving unequal rights to discriminating Black through racist
the non-white. This issue is often acts which dehumanize them as a
raised in the literature, as “Literature human. They look down upon Black
is one of the most interesting and and treat them as non-human being.
significant expressions of humanity,” The issue of racism, which is done by
(Barnum, 1866, p.13) express that White in the novel has attracted the
literature is one of the mediums to writer to conduct research on this
issue because the issue of racism done

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The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

by White is interesting to be further practices). According to Rosado

investigated. A particular term used in (2012), disregardful actions are only
this issue is Whiteness. classified into prejudice and
discrimination because prejudice
Whiteness is the idea of being
already includes stereotype. As this
white and of having inherent
novel raises the issue of racism done
privileges of being white. This
by White toward the Black, the theory
privilege of being white has created
of Whiteness is best implemented to
inequality or injustice among other
show how the novel represents
races in society. More specifically,
Whiteness. Garner (2007) categorized
the practice of racism done by white
the kinds of Whiteness into four
is called as white racism as coined by
forms: Whiteness as terror and
Hill (2008). White racism refers to
supremacy, Whiteness as a kind of
practices of racism which is done by
absence, Whiteness as contingent
White, and it is not only a mere
hierarchies, and Whiteness as values,
American history, but it is organized
norm, and cultural capital.
by white-dominated institutions and
White as an individual. This research also employs the
theory of representation in examining
White racism is derived from the
the data. regarding the issue of
construction of whiteness in society,
whiteness. Hall (1997) explains that
and it leads to a racist act. Glasgow
representation is the process of
(2009) states that the racism derives
meaning-making by which meaning
from disregard, more generally, as a
is produced between members of a
form of ill will towards the other
culture; the process of the meaning-
races. Thus, racist actions will be
making itself covers the use of
hostile and disrespectful for the
language, signs, and images which
victims. Berman and Paradies (2010)
represent an object. The theory of
note that racism can be expressed
representation is best applied to
through stereotype (racist beliefs),
support the research in examining the
prejudice (racist emotions/affect), and
representation of whiteness as it helps
discrimination (racist behaviors and

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Passage 2019, 7(2), 1-18

to establish a better understanding of racism towards the Black. Rezazade

the issue. Young (1999) states literary and Zohdi (2016) analyze color
works can also be a source of blindness in the case of racism in
knowledge through the theory of Nelle Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking
representation. He further explains Bird and found that being color-blind
there are three types of literary is one of the solutions to the issue of
depiction that helps to examine the racism, as color-blindness is the
represented issue. Thus, the use of the ability to see with the transparent
theory of representation helps to eyeball and preventing the act of
portray how whiteness in the novel racism. Pfeifer (2009) found that the
Invisible Man and to present white and black function as a
understanding of how the issue of profound metaphor or binary
whiteness is exercised in society. opposition. Pfeifer found that the
Dark Continent is an explicit symbol
There have been many
of the opposition between forces of
researchers who conducted studies on
‘civilization’ and images of
the issue of racism that is represented
‘savagery’ and dark primitivism.
in literary works. Wilson (2014)
These symbolisms presume the
found that there remains the
dualistic splits of White/non-white.
overrepresentation of White and
invisibility of racial minorities as an Meanwhile, the novel itself has
impact of racial representations in been analyzed by some researchers.
children’s picture books. Szulkowska Lamm (2003) analyses the issue of
(2017) studies the relationships visuality and Black masculinity,
between White character and Black which focus on the visual
character in Katherine Stockett’s The representations of the black male.
Help, specifically about racism Wilcox (2007) analyses the issue of
experienced by African Americans. Black power, which leads to the idea
She then found that through The Help of the prototype for a Black cyborg
people are aware of the problem of subject. Another research regarding
white supremacy and the damage of the novel is Widyana’s (2006)

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The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

research on the issue of racism in general, identity, alienation,

discrimination. She focuses on the color blindness, and the impact of
race relationship between White and racial representations. As most of the
Black. Most of the researchers focus previous studies only focus on the
on the issue of invisibility, issue of racism in general, the main
discrimination, and racism. None of focus of this research is the issue of
the research specifically focuses on whiteness. The research is expected to
racism done by White. provide information on the issue of
whiteness, which is represented in the
The previous studies on this novel
novel by showing its construction in
have already examined specific issues
society and how it is exercised as a
that are raised in the novel. It includes
racist act.

METHODOLOGY by using numerical and interpretative

analysis.
In order to analyze the representation
of whiteness in the novel Invisible
In relation to Bernard and
Man, this study used textual analysis
Ryan (1998), textual analysis,
approach. This approach was chosen
according to McKee (2003), is an
since the data of the representation of
approach where the researchers
whiteness is based on the text in the
gather information about how people
novel. According to Bernard and
make sense of the world. In other
Ryan (1998), textual analysis
words, textual analysis is a method
involves the examination of words,
where researchers make an “educated
sentences, paragraphs, ideas,
guess”; the interpretation is created
meanings, paralinguistic features,
based on the analyzed text.
documents, and another aspect that is
Furthermore, he explains that textual
missing in the text. Subsequently, the
analysis is not used to find a single
researchers should interpret, mark,
correct interpretation. There are many
retrieve, and count the information
interpretations that may be considered
they have gathered based on the text
closer to be treated as ‘the true

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Passage 2019, 7(2), 1-18

interpretation’ in certain Black Arts Movement. It happens that

circumstances. The approach offers a most African American novels are
different conclusion since the point of written as a form of social protest.
view of the researcher is also Besides the literary movements, the
considered as unique. Thus, between novel is also intended to raise the
one researcher and other researchers social issues in America which
may have a different conclusion as it happened in that era. One of the major
based on the theory they use to social issues that the novel raises is
evaluate the text. Textual analysis the issue of racism. Thus, looking
approach aims to give an insightful back at America in that era, Black was
and thoughtful reading to help the socially-discriminated. It can be seen
reader understand the text in a new how the society of America unfairly
and refreshing manner. treated Black through the right
segregation. Through Invisible Man,
Thus, the writer believes that Ellison is the first African American
this approach is suitable for the who wins the National Book Award.
research since it focused on analyzing
Invisible Man is a story of a
the representation of whiteness based
black man struggling in a white-
on the text of the novel by finding the
dominated society. He was a southern
features that support the existence of
educated black man who then in the
whiteness.
story moved to the North. As he
himself experienced a racist act from
Summary of Invisible Man
the society, he chose to join the
Invisible Man is a novel written by
Brotherhood, a multicultural
Ralph Elison during the World War II
organization. From the Brotherhood,
(1945), and took five years to
he expected to make racial equality
complete the novel with one year off;
where no one is discriminated.
the novel was published in 1952 by
However, the leader of the
Random House. Elison straddles two
Brotherhood, who is named Brother
important literary movements which
Jack did not even care about racial
are the Harlem Renaissance and
equality. The Narrator finally chooses

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The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

to be an invisible man. He chose to be I sprang at him, seized his coat

an invisible man not because he was lapels and demanded that he
physically invisible; his invisibility apologize. He was a tall
happened because society refuses to blonde man, and as my face
see him. come close to his he looked
insolently out of his blue
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION eyes and cursed me, his
breath hot in my face as he
Whiteness as Supremacy
struggled. (p. 4)
Whiteness, as it gives advantages to
White, is mainly about the superiority The Narrator clearly describes how
of White toward other races. Garner the man he bumped into look like. He
(2007) states that whiteness as terror is a tall blonde man and with blue
and supremacy is about a structure of eyes. The interesting point of this
domination in terms of the power of literary depiction is about how the
naming, defining, decision making, white man reacts toward The
and the use of physical and symbolic Narrator; in this case, the white man
violence. The next evidence shows reacts rudely. From the reaction of the
how the presence of whiteness can white man, it can be seen how the
bring terror to non-white through the physical and symbolic violence of
use of physical and symbolic whiteness works. The presence of
violence. One night The Narrator took whiteness gives privilege to White,
a walk, and he accidentally bumped which gives them advantages in their
into a white man. He experienced an presence in society.
unpleasant reaction as the white man The evidence shows how
reacted rudely to him. one’s state of mind plays an essential
role in the presence of whiteness. The
One night I accidentally
Narrator himself directly describes
bumped into a man, and
the physical appearance of the man,
perhaps because of the near
and from his descriptions, it can be
darkness he saw me and
pictured that the man is a white man
called me an insulting name.

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Passage 2019, 7(2), 1-18

based on his physical appearance. In Narrator himself feels the presence of

this case, the state of mind of The whiteness and aware that whiteness
Narrator shows how he personally defines his identity, of who he is. The
sees the white man; he sees the white Narrator introduces himself with a
man through his physical appearance. detailed description.

I am an invisible man. No, I

Whiteness as a Kind of Absence am not a spook like those who
The presence of whiteness in society haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor
constructs a central point; in other I am one of your Hollywood-
words, everything is related to White movie ectoplasms. I am a man
or about White. As Garner (2007) of substance, of flesh and
states that white is the point from bone, fiber and liquids—and I
which judgments are made, for might even be said to possess
example: if white is normality then a mind. I am invisible,
the non-white is an abnormality, if understand, simply because
white is beauty then the the non-white people refuse to see me. Like
is ugliness, if white is civilized then the bodiless heads you see
the non-white is barbaric. The idea of sometimes in circus
White as the point from judgments are sideshows, it is as though I
made, create the idea that the non- have been surrounded by
white needs qualifications and need to mirrors of hard, distorting
pass the qualifications if they want to glass. When they approach
be recognized. In other words, the me they see only my
presence of whiteness defines the surroundings, themselves,
identities of the non-white. Whiteness or figments of their
is invisible to White because they imagination—indeed,
think that whatever happened to them everything and anything
is what happens to everyone else; except me.
whiteness is visible to others because
Nor is my invisibility exactly
whiteness defines their identities. The
a matter of a biochemical

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 Alya Zulfikar
The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

accident to my epidermis. else except white is acknowledged as

That invisibility to which I deviant. The idea of the qualification
refer occurs because of a construct the power relation of White
peculiar disposition of the over Black; if white is human, black
eyes of those with whom I as the binary opposite is deviant.
come in contact. A matter of Whiteness as Values, Norms, and
the construction of their Cultural Capital
inner eyes, those eyes with Whiteness embeds its values in
which they look through society; the values that are embedded
their physical eyes upon transform into norms and cultural
reality. (p. 3) capital. Garner (2007) states that
whiteness takes its position in society
It is interesting how The
as the polar opposite of non-
Narrator introduces himself. The
whiteness. Whiteness as polar
Narrator begins with the main point of
opposite applies such as whiteness
his identity is that he is an invisible
without blackness. In other words,
man. The Narrator’s invisibility is not
white against everything that does not
physical invisibility but social
suit their values. The novel Invisible
invisibility. The Narrator emphasizes
Man shows how the value of
that the cause of his invisibility comes
whiteness exists in society through
from his society and not come from
the common sense of and the politics
himself. This evidence proves that
of White, and white as the point that
whiteness defines the non-white
is being mimicked by the non-white.
identities; in this case, the identity of
The Narrator as the invisible man is A small dry mustached man
constructed because the society in the front row blared out,
refuses to see his presence. It also “Say that slowly, son!”
proves that whiteness also defines “What, sir?”
what a human is, and to be a human “What you just said!”
need to pass the qualification of “Social responsibility, sir,” I
whiteness. In other words, everything said.

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Passage 2019, 7(2), 1-18

“You weren’t being smart, between White and Black, it will

were you, boy?” he said, not destroy the value of whiteness since if
unkindly. whiteness exists, then blackness is
“No, sir!” not.
“You sure about ‘equality’
I passed on to a window
was a mistake?”
decorated with switches of
“Oh, yes, sir,” I said. “I was
wiry false hair, ointments
swallowing blood.”
guaranteed to produce the
“Well, you had better speak
miracle of whitening black
more slowly so we can
skin. “You too can be truly
understand. We mean to do
beautiful,” a sign
right by you, but you’ve got
proclaimed. “Win greater
to know your place at all
happiness with whiter
times. All right, now, go on
complexion. Be outstanding
with your speech.” (p. 31)
in your social set.” (p. 262)
The conversation happened
Another value that is known
when The Narrator slipped the word
as the value of whiteness is about the
equality instead of responsibility in
concept of beauty, which means white
his speech after the battle royale. It is
is the definition of beauty. Fanon
interesting how the crowd ignore him
(1967) states that whiteness affects
while he delivers his speech, but then
the psychological of the non-white,
pay attention to him when he slips the
and it leads them to mimic whiteness.
word “equality”. One of the White
The evidence confirmed that being
questions what The Narrator means
white is being beautiful, and being
by equality, and it can be implied that
black is the opposite. The value of
there is no equality between White
being white is beautiful is embedded
and Black, and the white man
in society as the evidence shows that
confirms the idea of whiteness as the
having whiter complexion can bring
polar opposite of non-whiteness. It
happiness and being outstanding in
means that when there is equality
the social set. It can be implied that

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 Alya Zulfikar
The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

The Narrator does pay attention to against me? You, a northern

physical appearance, as same as when white man!” (p. 189)
he describes the white man that he It is interesting about the
bumped. transition of place in the story,
especially that is experienced by The
Narrator. The Narrator is a southern
Whiteness as Contingent
black man moves to the North. It is
Hierarchies
known that society in the North is
The presence of whiteness in society
different compared to the South. The
is structured and in the form of
difference is in terms of racist acts.
hierarchies. It means that white is at
For Black, moving from the South to
the top of the hierarchy, and the non-
the North is considered as the road to
white is the subordinate. The
freedom; the South rigidly segregates
interesting part about the hierarchy of
Black from White, while in the North
whiteness is that not every white is
is divided into predominantly society.
considered as white; some of the
Based on The Narrator statement, it
white is considered as less white. The
can be seen that he emphasizes
novel invisible man also shows that
“northern white man” as a northern
not every white is considered as
white man is whiter than the southern
white. In other words, it shows that
white man.
not every White is considered as
“Y’all’s the ones. You got to
White. The evidence shows that the
lead and you got to fight and
northern and the southern White is
move us all on up a little
different.
higher. And I tell you

“I was sent here by a friend of something else, it’s the ones

his. You read the letter, but from the South that’s got to
still you refuse to let me see do it, them what knows the
him, and now you’re trying to fire ain’t forgot how it
get me to leave college. What burns. Up here too many

kind of man are you, forgits. They finds a place for

anyway, What have you got themselves and forgits the

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Passage 2019, 7(2), 1-18

ones on the bottom. Oh, heap in a white-dominated society. As

of them talks about doing mentioned before, verbal depiction
things, but they done really represents the state of mind of the
forgot. No, it’s you young characters in the story. The novel
ones what has to remember shows that every Black character in
and take the lead. (p. 255) the story sees whiteness as a terror
Mary’s statement about the and supremacy. On the other hand,
Southern Black shows what she is the White characters’ state of mind in
thinking about her race and the the story represents their superiority
northern people. Based on the finding, toward the non-white. For example,
it portrays that contingent plays an the findings have proved that the
essential point in defining race. Mary presence of whiteness brings terror by
says that the Black from the South giving negative labels to the non-
should lift their race a little higher. In white as shown in the novel; Black in
the novel, it is known that the Black the novel is disadvantaged by the
from the South experience more racist negative label.
acts rather than those who are in the
It is proved that whiteness is
North.
dominantly about terror to the non-
white and supremacy to White. This
Discussion
study has provided several different
Invisible Man has shown that
perspectives toward the issue of
whiteness is an issue in society. Its
racism by using the lens of whiteness.
presence has brought terror and
Terror and supremacy play a
supremacy to the non-white. This
dominant role in the presence of
present research has analyzed the
whiteness, even though whiteness is
issue of whiteness in the novel, and
complexly constructed in society and
found that whiteness is dominantly
control many aspects of society such
represented through verbal depiction;
as by the terms: visibility, invisibility,
it becomes the dominant evidence in
values, norms, cultural capital, and
the novel because the novel is
contingent hierarchies. The presence
narrated by a black man which lives

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The Representation of Whiteness in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man

of whiteness exists to advantage supremacy. Through the verbal

White through white privilege by the depiction evidence that is found in the
movement of white supremacy. Based novel, it can be concluded that the
on the discussion, it can be concluded effect of whiteness is dominantly
that the presence of whiteness means manifested in the state of mind of an
no equality to the non-white. individual.

Whiteness is not limited in

CONCLUSION
terror and supremacy. Furthermore, it
covers many aspects of society. One
This study aims to analyze the
to mention is its functions as a
representation of whiteness in the
framing position that makes White
novel Invisible Man by using the
able to define the identity of the non-
theory of representation proposed by
white. The presence of White defines
Young (1999) and Whiteness by
the Narrator's identity, and the white-
Garner (2007). As the aim of the
dominated society he lives in; he then
study is to analyze the representation
defined himself as the invisible
of whiteness, Young’s theory of
man—not because he is invisible, but
representation is used in this study to
society refuses to see him. Whiteness
find the textual evidence of the
also roots their values in society,
representation under the category of
which for sure to advantage White.
three literary depictions. The literary
Throughout the novel, White is
depiction then is connected to the
treated as the superior being to those
theory of whiteness which covers four
who are not white; everything related
whiteness themes: (1) Terror and
to White, which has the value of
supremacy, (2) Absence, (3) Values,
White, is seen as the right thing. From
norms, and cultural capital, (4)
the study, it can be seen that
Contingent hierarchies. The result of
whiteness is the most specific act of
the study shows that the issue of
racism.
whiteness in the novel is dominantly
represented through verbal depiction As the final point, this study is
with the theme of terror and conducted to provide an alternative

13
Passage 2019, 7(2), 1-18

understanding of the issue of racism. privilege. The superiority of white

Whiteness is a more constructed act and their privilege of being white
of racism which covers many aspects brings terror to the non-white and
that advantage White; it is in the form makes them see White as the superior
of white supremacy and white race.
Fredrickson (eds). Not
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