Opression

What does it mean to be invisible? Biologically it means not to be seen. In the “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, he has a different definition of being invisible. The character in the story is black and whites refuse to see him as a human being; so he calls himself invisible and calls them blind. He is classifying racism as white people being visible and blind at the same time. Moreover, Peggy McIntosh states that white people have privileges that they are blind of in “White Privilege and Male Privilege.” In this article McIntosh lists many different ways that white people are privileged, but they aren’t aware of. She claims that men are privileged, but they as well do not believe or know of it. Therefore, McIntosh’s list supports Ellison’s analysis of racism that whites are blind and visible.
Ellison’s definition of racism suggests that whites are both blind and visible. Whites are blind because they do not see black people, therefore making black peo...