I very much enjoyed the narrator's story and I think Ellison's writing style is very interesting. At times, I felt like there was too much symbolism, though I like how it all fit together and reinforced the theme of invisibility. Interpreting the lines became easier (kind of) and I got more used to trying to find a deeper meaning. I especially liked the first part of the book, I enjoyed reading the narrator's story and background, however the ending seemed to be a bit rushed. He's in a cab, and then Ras is on a horse trying to kill him, and while escaping finds himself in a hole. It was interesting seeing how all of the narrator's experiences led him to his 1,369 lightbulbs, but the ending wasn't quite what I expected. With this being said, I still very much enjoyed Invisible Man (I wish we knew what happened to the narrator after the book ended, or his name, but those are smaller thoughts).
I just finished reading the first three chapters of Their Eyes Were Watching God and it's pretty different from Ellison. I kind of like the vernacular dialogue that Hurston used, which I find a bit strange because I'm usually not a big fan. I'm pretty excited to read more of the book because I'm finding Janie's story very easy to read and intriguing (also the name Tea Cake is cool).
Maybe I'll like this book more than the other two. But then again, the book has only just started though, so maybe my opinions will change.
~~~
I just finished reading the first three chapters of Their Eyes Were Watching God and it's pretty different from Ellison. I kind of like the vernacular dialogue that Hurston used, which I find a bit strange because I'm usually not a big fan. I'm pretty excited to read more of the book because I'm finding Janie's story very easy to read and intriguing (also the name Tea Cake is cool).
Maybe I'll like this book more than the other two. But then again, the book has only just started though, so maybe my opinions will change.
~~~
I agree with you that at times it seems like Ellison is trying to smother us with symbolism, but i think that the way the ending was created/portrayed conveyed the message better than a slower, more drawn out ending would have. The book ends with confusion and chaos as people riot in the streets, so I think that rushing the ending kind of helps communiacte that sense of confusion.
ReplyDeleteI had a bit of a hard time adjusting from Invisible Man to Their Eyes were Watching God... they're so different! I agree with you on the symbolism thing in Invisible Man, but at the same time, I feel like it just wouldn't be the same if Ellison took out some of that symbolism.
ReplyDeleteI also agree about the vernacular dialogue! I usually get extremely annoyed by it, but it's just so well done. It's also nice noticing how it gets easier and easier to read as I work through the book.