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What does it mean to be invisible? Biologically it means not to be seen. In the “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, he has a different definition of being invisible. The character in the story is black and whites refuse to see him as a human being; so he calls himself invisible and calls them blind. He is classifying racism as white people being visible and blind at the same time. Moreover, Peggy McIntosh states that white people have privileges that they are blind of in “White Privilege and Male Privilege.” In this article McIntosh lists many different ways that white people are privileged, but they aren’t aware of. She claims that men are privileged, but they as well do not believe or know of it. Therefore, McIntosh’s list supports Ellison’s analysis of racism that whites are blind and visible. Ellison’s definition of racism suggests that whites are both blind and visible. Whites are blind because they do not see black people, therefore making black people invisible. Ellison gave a good example of this is his article “Invisible Man,” where he had accidentally bumped into a white man and the white man replies with an insulting name. Ellison begins to beat the man to a pulp and is about to slit his throat, but then realizes that the white man cannot see him or is invisible to him (Ellison, 4). Whites are blind of black people in many aspects. More importantly they do not consider them as human beings or apart of the norm. This can be referenced back to when they where slaves and not seen as humans. So, if blacks do not exist as humans then their achievements, culture, art, talents, history, etc. are not being appreciated. Whites are blind of this because they do not take in consideration of how black people are treated.
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