A brief analysis of the major theme found in Ellison's Battle Royal, supported by literary criticism discussing the tone and style of the story.Introduction: The short story by Ralph Ellison, Battle Royal, is primarily an account of the struggle of African Americans for equality and identity. The narrator of the story is an above-average young person from the African-American community [Goldstein-Shirlet, 1999]. He has the opportunity to give a speech to some of the most prestigious white figures. His expectations of being received in a positive and normal environment are drastically disappointed when he finds himself confronted with the severity of the process he must face to accomplish his task. Analysis: The recurring theme of Battle Royal is that of fighting for your own sake. rights against all odds. Examples of this struggle are found throughout history. Ellison highlights the enormity of the problems faced by the African-American community in asserting itself. This is due to the extreme nature of the incidents depicted in the Battle Royal. First, the boys are taken to a room where a naked woman is dancing. When the boys turn their heads away, they are yelled at for not looking. The tone of the reprimand implies that blacks were not entitled to most of the "good" things that whites could give them and that they were not really good enough for them. The boys then compete in the Battle Royal. This classic example of symbolism shows the struggle that African Americans waged over time against an oppressive system and how it was necessary to persevere and demonstrate courage even when hope diminished. The boys fought violently. Perhaps it can also represent, in a small part, the extent to which a united community ...... middle of paper ...... acts in a unique way. Through his use of the extreme tasks subjected to black people in his history, he manages to convey the intensity of their struggle against oppression and all its complications [Carlson, 2000]. His story deals with the theme of fighting racism and as such is a diatribe on racism in general, wherever it manifests itself. When a human being is weakened because of their race, as is the case with Battle Royal characters, it is a shame for the entire human race; Ellison's story tells of the great need to combat this evil at all times and under all conditions. Works Cited Ellison, Ralph. The Invisible Man, 1952. Goldstein-Shirlet, David. "Review: Cultural Contexts for Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man". Eric J. Sundquist.1999Carlson, Eric. Essay on the invisible man. 2000. http://www.4essays.com/essays/THE_INVI.HTM