I made the mistake of reading Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" in the waiting room of Sanford Surgical Tower while my dad was in surgery. Take the peaceful spiritual emotions I felt reading "The Waking" and twist them up, snap them in two, and throw them across the equator. That is how this text made me feel. Hopeless, hurt, and alone (not the kind of feelings you want while in a waiting room). I literally got goosebumps and felt like the shit would never end. The depths to which humanity can sink.
One thing I didn't quite catch. This was NOT a true story, right? There was too much symbolism to make it be a true story, right? I just don't think I could cope with that right now if it were true. However, if it was, at least Ellison has the balls to write about it. I couldn't help thinking of Picasso's painting, "Guernica" after reflecting on the reading. It's art like that and "The Invisible Man" that will change the world. I hope.
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