The Stages of Invisibility in Invisible Man Being invisible means that you cannot be seen by anyone without artificial help. The invisible man is more impossible to spot than the proverbial needle in a haystack. In Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, the main character, I., progresses through various stages of symbolic invisibility. The story begins with I. recounting the various steps and incidents that led him to realize his invisibility. I.'s grandfather was a meek and humble man, and for this reason he surprised I. when he told him to "live with your head in the lion's mouth, overcome them with yeses, accept them until death and destruction". This statement is the ever-present current that guides I. to his eventual self-discovery. It haunts him beyond his discovery and remains even after he accepts his situation, where the reader realizes that I don't fully understand his grandfather's words either. The royal battle serves to open his eyes, if only slightly, and then close them again, because I. still gives his acceptance speech to the crowd of prominent white people in the city. These are the same men who moments ago were yelling “leave that big nigger on me.” Yet he still assumes that these men respect him for his intelligence and take him seriously. Upon reflection he realizes that was when he really started running for the white man. He was playing their games, trying to grab the money thrilled, not looking at the naked white woman, these men actually made him start running and taught him the game he was expected to play. The next great shock came after I.'s meeting with Mr. Norton, a prominent white man and great contributor to the University he attended. Take Mr. Norton to the old slave... middle of paper... continue to explore his new knowledge. There is hope for those who are invisible, and so many are, that you may be able to come to terms with your own transparency. Works Cited Below, Saul. "Man Underground" review of the film Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Comment. June 1952. 1 December 1999.