Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is a profound and haunting masterpiece. It's more than a story of racial prejudice; it's a universal exploration of identity and the struggle to be seen in a society that refuses to see you. The unnamed narrator's journey is a surreal and often painful descent into the absurdities of social expectation and betrayal. His eventual realization—that his invisibility is a product of others' distorted perceptions—is both devastating and liberating. Ellison's brilliant prose captures the psychological turmoil with raw power. The novel remains startlingly relevant, a powerful indictment of the social forces that render individuals powerless. It is a challenging, essential read about the eternal quest for selfhood.