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Birth
Ralph Waldo Ellison (the author) is born on March 1, 1914 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Lewis Alfred and Ida Millsap Ellison. -
Narrative Begins
Invisible Man- Short FilmThe unnamed narrator begins telling his story and explaining his "invisibilty." -
Battle Royal
Invisible Man- Battle Royal Scene The narrator is invited to give a speech to town leaders, but first must fight nine other black men, all blindfolded, in a competition for money. -
College
Invisible Man- Battle Royal SceneThe narrator uses his scholarship he won at the bottle royal and goes to the State College for Negroes. He's given the task of driving the school founder around the campus and takes him to former slave quarters where they talk to Trueblood (the poor man who impregnated his wife, and daughter). -
Expulsion
The narrator is expelled and ordered to work in Harlem by the college president (Dr. Bledsoe). -
Liberty Paints
The narrator applies for a job at Liberty Paints, where he meets Lucius Brockway. He gets in a fight with Lucius and after a boiler explodes he is knocked unconcious. When he wakes up he is discovers he is locked in a cage and being experimented on. -
I Yam What I Yam
After being rescued by Mary Rambo, he rents an apartment in her complex and goes out to buy some baked yams and think. He comes up with his new slogan: "I yam what I yam." He later feels as if he's being watched. -
The Brotherhood
The man watching the narrator is Brother Jack, who offers the narrator a position in the Brotherhood. At first he is opposed but later accepts the job. Once he joins the Brotherhood the narrator is given a new name and apartment, and told to not contact family or friends. -
Promotion
After giving a speech to the Brotherhood (which was criticized by the members), the narrator is promoted to Chief Spokeperson of the Harlem District. -
Out of Touch
The narrator is restricted to work on the Woman Question downtown after the Brotherhood is upset with him. He falls out of touch with the brotherhood and is not invited to future strategy meetings. -
Funeral
The Brotherhood (Clip)
The narrator watches Clifton get shot on the street and organizes a funeral for him. -
Rinehart
The narrator wears a hat and sunglasses to hide from Ras the Exhorter and is mistaken for a man named Rinehart. He revels in the freedom of being someone else for a day. -
Period: to
World War II
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The End.
Brother Hambro tells the narrator that Harlem is bring sacrificed for bigger and better things. When the narrator goes back to Harlem he runs into Ras the Exhorter and stabs him with a spear. As the narrator runs away, he is forced to live in a sewer and decides to take action. The narrator finishes his story and shares that he is coming out of hibernation. -
Begins Invisible Man
Ellison becomes ill and begns writing Invisible Man while on sick leave. -
Invisible Man- Published
Invisible Man is published by Random House. -
Death
Ralph Waldo Ellison dies of pancreatic cancer at the age of 81, and is buried in New York City.
