The conclusion of a piece of literature must be about a sense of closure and an acceptable ending to the story. In what ways does Ellison’s novel end in a satisfactory or unsatisfactory way?
In some ways, the ending of the novel is satisfactory. The ending gives the narrator's journey closure, as every ideal he once had is smashed and burned with the riots all throughout Harlem, presenting him with a new set of ideals. It also wraps directly back around to the prologue, though it is left open, as the narrator is thinking of finally leaving his warm hole and going out into the world with a newer sense of self. In other ways, the ending of the novel is unsatisfactory. It leaves the book too open, as in a way there is no closure for the narrator, since his journey is incomplete, and though he has raced many trials, his journey did not cocludr positively. By saying that he is finally stepping back out into the world, it fails to conclude the book plotwise, though the narrator's character arc has been completed.
The novel definitely leans towards more of an unsatisfactory ending. All of the narrator's work and mementos have been destroyed, any progression he's ever had in the world is gone, and he fails to think differently. He concludes by establishing that he may go outside again, but with a new identity? It's completely irrational. His first identity was a man who could have held authority (not power) in the world. Instead, he wants to start fresh. How could he start fresh if he never finished? Personally, I find the ending to be extremely unsatisfactory, and his whole characterization to digress. He could have continued to make a difference in the world, and accomplished what he initially believed was right, but rathe than doing that he stays in a warm hole, contemplating whether he wants to change himself.
Invisible Man has an unsatisfactory ending. It ends with the narrator walking out of his hole, a changed man. The narrator no longer wants to be invisible. However, what is next for the Narrator? The narrator has nothing. The narrator never discloses whether he will continue speaking or will continue to do activist work. It leaves me with a question of " What now?".
Invisible Man has an unsatisfactory ending. It ends with the narrator walking out of his hole, a changed man. The narrator no longer wants to be invisible. However, what is next for the Narrator? The narrator has nothing. The narrator never discloses whether he will continue speaking or will continue to do activist work. It leaves me with a question of " What now?".
The novel Invisible Man ended satisfactorily. The book concluded with the complete circle back to the narrator's beginning in the prologue and adequately conveyed his journey to becoming the Invisible Man. His final rebirth does spark new questions, such as what he actually does when he leaves his hole, but a book isn't meant to answer every question. A book is meant to create questions while helping the reader find their own answers, and the ending of this novel helps the reader clear their thoughts that may have become muddled throughout their reading and organize them into clean, concise patterns. This book allows the reader to think for themselves instead of telling them how to think. By ending it on a somewhat open note, the author refuses to allow us to stop thinking. If Ellison had ended the novel, the train of thought would have reached its final station. If the thoughts were allowed to stop, his message would have almost no lasting affect and the book would have been just another commentary on racism, but its final anecdote about Mr. Norton accompanied with the narrators thoughts allows the novel to worm its way into our minds and plants seeds of thoughts that we can grow and shape on our own.
The ending of Invisible Man is a satisfactory ending. It provides a sort of closure, going full circle, while at the same time allowing your mind wander. I believe one of the most important part of a novel is the ability to get the reader to think- to make them come up with theories and wonder. This mystery creates a feeling of involvement and attachment to the character and story. In terms of providing closure, the novel did a perfectly fine job at going full circle. The novel begins at the end, leaving the reader confused, but by the end the narrator's situation is explained fully. The novel was a journey as the narrator changes as a person, and the novel succeeds in illustrating this.
It ends in an unsatisfactory way because is does not provide closure to the city of Harlem. It ends with closure for the narrator in terms of him knowing that he is truly invisible and does not have any more room to grow. It shows him finding his niche in terms if invisibility and being everyone at once (Rineheartism). This gives a good ending in terms of his journey, but not a satisfactory ending in terms of other characters. As for the city of Harlem, it provides no emotional wrap up to any characters we were supposed to sympathize with like Mary. It does not show any consequences that happen to the Brotherhood either which is not satisfying.
Techincally, the novel's ending should be satisfactory. It ends with him walking out of his hole, with no destination or plan. He has found identity in the black of it. Ellsion created the story, now it is up for the reader to decide how it ends. Now, many stories end on cliffhangers all the time; it works. Letting the reader decide the true ending for themselves is an effective strategy. While I still believe this, I PERSONALLY was unsatisfied with the ending. Why? I don't like cliffhangers. We don't actually know what becomes of him, what he does, or where he goes. While I would've preferred a traditonal ending, I'm fine with the one we got.
For me, the ending was very unsatisfactory. Personally, I like things to END when they end. I hate when the ending is left for the reader to interpret what happened. I also don’t like cliffhanger endings, like how Jaz got captured at the end of the season finale of The Brave. I like to have a definite conclusion that leaves most, if not all, of the questions answered. Leaving the narrator in his hole all alone at the end doesn’t satisfy me. Does he stay there for the rest of his life? Does he turn his life around? Does he ever see his family again? We will never know. I also didn’t like how even though the narrator says he’s happy as the Invisible Man, it still feels like a sad ending. Everyone can agree that happy endings are always more satisfying than sad endings.
While we get to understand that the narrator feels in such a way that he will no longer have an impact on society and is giving up is understandable given his circumstances, but the idea that he cannot be our storybook hero is unsatisfactory. We want to see our narrator make a real change for the better, instead we see attempts that a strong and full of heart, but end in betrayal and failure. And all the reader wants is the sweet taste of final success. It left me feeling like the end of Rocky, we want our hero to win but he is defeated in his last push, and it sucks but it is understandable at the same time. So I believe that the conclusion does make sense and I understand and am understanding of the narrator's actions, but it just sucks a little.
In some ways, the ending of the novel is satisfactory. The ending gives the narrator's journey closure, as every ideal he once had is smashed and burned with the riots all throughout Harlem, presenting him with a new set of ideals. It also wraps directly back around to the prologue, though it is left open, as the narrator is thinking of finally leaving his warm hole and going out into the world with a newer sense of self.
ReplyDeleteIn other ways, the ending of the novel is unsatisfactory. It leaves the book too open, as in a way there is no closure for the narrator, since his journey is incomplete, and though he has raced many trials, his journey did not cocludr positively. By saying that he is finally stepping back out into the world, it fails to conclude the book plotwise, though the narrator's character arc has been completed.
The novel definitely leans towards more of an unsatisfactory ending. All of the narrator's work and mementos have been destroyed, any progression he's ever had in the world is gone, and he fails to think differently. He concludes by establishing that he may go outside again, but with a new identity? It's completely irrational. His first identity was a man who could have held authority (not power) in the world. Instead, he wants to start fresh. How could he start fresh if he never finished? Personally, I find the ending to be extremely unsatisfactory, and his whole characterization to digress. He could have continued to make a difference in the world, and accomplished what he initially believed was right, but rathe than doing that he stays in a warm hole, contemplating whether he wants to change himself.
ReplyDeleteInvisible Man has an unsatisfactory ending. It ends with the narrator walking out of his hole, a changed man. The narrator no longer wants to be invisible. However, what is next for the Narrator? The narrator has nothing. The narrator never discloses whether he will continue speaking or will continue to do activist work. It leaves me with a question of " What now?".
ReplyDeleteInvisible Man has an unsatisfactory ending. It ends with the narrator walking out of his hole, a changed man. The narrator no longer wants to be invisible. However, what is next for the Narrator? The narrator has nothing. The narrator never discloses whether he will continue speaking or will continue to do activist work. It leaves me with a question of " What now?".
ReplyDeleteThe novel Invisible Man ended satisfactorily. The book concluded with the complete circle back to the narrator's beginning in the prologue and adequately conveyed his journey to becoming the Invisible Man. His final rebirth does spark new questions, such as what he actually does when he leaves his hole, but a book isn't meant to answer every question. A book is meant to create questions while helping the reader find their own answers, and the ending of this novel helps the reader clear their thoughts that may have become muddled throughout their reading and organize them into clean, concise patterns. This book allows the reader to think for themselves instead of telling them how to think. By ending it on a somewhat open note, the author refuses to allow us to stop thinking. If Ellison had ended the novel, the train of thought would have reached its final station. If the thoughts were allowed to stop, his message would have almost no lasting affect and the book would have been just another commentary on racism, but its final anecdote about Mr. Norton accompanied with the narrators thoughts allows the novel to worm its way into our minds and plants seeds of thoughts that we can grow and shape on our own.
ReplyDeleteThe ending of Invisible Man is a satisfactory ending. It provides a sort of closure, going full circle, while at the same time allowing your mind wander. I believe one of the most important part of a novel is the ability to get the reader to think- to make them come up with theories and wonder. This mystery creates a feeling of involvement and attachment to the character and story. In terms of providing closure, the novel did a perfectly fine job at going full circle. The novel begins at the end, leaving the reader confused, but by the end the narrator's situation is explained fully. The novel was a journey as the narrator changes as a person, and the novel succeeds in illustrating this.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteIt ends in an unsatisfactory way because is does not provide closure to the city of Harlem. It ends with closure for the narrator in terms of him knowing that he is truly invisible and does not have any more room to grow. It shows him finding his niche in terms if invisibility and being everyone at once (Rineheartism). This gives a good ending in terms of his journey, but not a satisfactory ending in terms of other characters. As for the city of Harlem, it provides no emotional wrap up to any characters we were supposed to sympathize with like Mary. It does not show any consequences that happen to the Brotherhood either which is not satisfying.
ReplyDeleteTechincally, the novel's ending should be satisfactory. It ends with him walking out of his hole, with no destination or plan. He has found identity in the black of it. Ellsion created the story, now it is up for the reader to decide how it ends. Now, many stories end on cliffhangers all the time; it works. Letting the reader decide the true ending for themselves is an effective strategy. While I still believe this, I PERSONALLY was unsatisfied with the ending. Why? I don't like cliffhangers. We don't actually know what becomes of him, what he does, or where he goes. While I would've preferred a traditonal ending, I'm fine with the one we got.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the ending was very unsatisfactory. Personally, I like things to END when they end. I hate when the ending is left for the reader to interpret what happened. I also don’t like cliffhanger endings, like how Jaz got captured at the end of the season finale of The Brave. I like to have a definite conclusion that leaves most, if not all, of the questions answered. Leaving the narrator in his hole all alone at the end doesn’t satisfy me. Does he stay there for the rest of his life? Does he turn his life around? Does he ever see his family again? We will never know. I also didn’t like how even though the narrator says he’s happy as the Invisible Man, it still feels like a sad ending. Everyone can agree that happy endings are always more satisfying than sad endings.
ReplyDeleteWhile we get to understand that the narrator feels in such a way that he will no longer have an impact on society and is giving up is understandable given his circumstances, but the idea that he cannot be our storybook hero is unsatisfactory. We want to see our narrator make a real change for the better, instead we see attempts that a strong and full of heart, but end in betrayal and failure. And all the reader wants is the sweet taste of final success. It left me feeling like the end of Rocky, we want our hero to win but he is defeated in his last push, and it sucks but it is understandable at the same time. So I believe that the conclusion does make sense and I understand and am understanding of the narrator's actions, but it just sucks a little.
ReplyDelete