Reading Blog # 2 - Invisible Man

The story of Invisilbe Man shows what it's like to be constantly kicked down by society. The majority of people that have been thrown out by society are mintories, just like the speaker, and the rest of society (whites) will never experience what the speaker goes through. I am part of that group of society that is lucky enough to not be discriminated against. However, my anscestors were the cause of the speakers harsh life. Given that it takes place in the 1950's - after slavery but still in the mindset of segregation - the speaker cannot seem to get the power that he wants. The thirst for power comes from the discrimination that he kept recieving his whole life. For myself, I don't crave this power that he wants. I've never had to deal with being beaten up to recieve a scholariship or sent to another city for "punnishment". However, I connect with this book because I know people who had to go through trials to get to the power they crave. Power, for the speaker, is something that is granted for people who want to make a change but at the same time for people who are kicked down by society. His crave for power relates to people who also crave this type of power. Power, though, is only able to help you if you use it wisely. The speaker could be doomded if he doesn't use it to help him.

Reading Blog #1 - Invisible Man

What I've noticed a lot about Invisible Man is that it relates to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The main character in Invisible Man is very similar to Bromden in Cuckoo's Nest. Both want to suppress authority and have their own mental issues that stop them from preforming their full potential. However, there are differences between the two. For example, the speaker in Invisible Man continues to do the things he wants to do, even though he is paranoid about everything, and fights for what he believes in. Bromden, however, only does what he does because he is asked to or finally has an example (McMurphy) to help him want to be free of the hospital and authority.
Even with their differences, they both show examples of two different sides of society that are always oppressed and aren't given the same chances as many other groups of society receive. The speaker in Invisible Man represents the black community during segregation and coming from the south to the north. His struggles deal with government and society and how they treat him and the rest of his community. His struggles also help the reader understand what it was like for the black community (for those who never experienced it) to have to go through segregation and not be able to have their voice heard.
Bromden in Cuckoo's Nest is the example of the mental society. During the 60's mental patients weren't granted the same rights as the rest of society. McMurphy's arrival helped Bromden see the light and want to leave the hospital. He starts to oppress authority just like the speaker does in Invisible Man. They both realize that they have options and rights just like anyone else. Even though they fight what society calls for them, they both do it violently in their own ways. They do this because they have been "trained" to be like this and only this. Their violence is just issues that they had to keep inside, they were also treated poorly in poor conditions. They become expected to be angry and violent.
Invisible Man and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest are two stories about people in society who aren't given the same chances as the rest of society. Both of the main characters react to authority and want to suppress it. Their motives are the same and Cuckoo's Nest helps the reader understand and connect to Invisible Man. They both teach the reader that people need to be given the same chances and shouldn't be looked down upon.