Option 1: On Fiction
We spoke in class about the ways fiction works as a deliberate, purposeful craft and allows an author to have some level of control in designing character, plot, action, and situation. In well-crafted fiction, nothing is accidental; nothing is left to chance. In Ellison, this is evidenced in any number of ways, perhaps most notably in his naming of characters and places; the sightless, nameless FOUNDER, TRUEBLOOD, HOMER Barbee (who crafts/perpetuates the epic mythology of the founder and of Dr. Bledsoe), TOD Clifton (Tod meaning 'Death'), LIBERTY Paints, LUCIUS Brockway (Lucius, which means 'bringer of light')--all purposefully chosen; all 'work' to serve the narrative through direct, symbolic reference. We can see this level of attention throughout the novel. So in the context of rhetoric, how does fiction lend itself to public argument? And perhaps more importantly, what is your opinion of fiction as a form of public argument? What are its benefits? Its limitations?
Option 2:On Invisible Man
As we discussed, there are multiple interrelated arguments at play in Invisible Man, and if you choose, you should have the opportunity to comment on those we identified in class (related to identity, power, and/or democracy) or identify and explore another (i.e. those related to race, gender, economics, education, et al.). For this option, please offer your observations about an argument presented in this specific text.
* Instructor's note: I have found in organizing and typing the notes from our class discussion that doing so is no small project. I am working to create synopses of our discussion suitable for posting, and I will post them as a series as they are completed. Thank you for participating in such a rich and lively discussion of the text.
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