In the novel "Invisible man", by Ralph Ellison there is a central focus of identity and race.

        The narrator does not create a true identity, but he fails to notice that identity is a reflection of the surroundings and he himself who looks into it. The identity in the mirror is only what the narrator sees, by creating another identity he is not only lying to himself he is lying to everyone around him. The superior white men are able to view the part of the narrator that is clearly connected to the white mans life. The identity that is blinded is one that is insignificant. Bledsoe, a president of the narrator’s college, saw the invisible man, as a threat to his job, despite he is there to learn and grow. Bledsoe makes the invisible man feel as if he has no purpose in the working world, and if he were to create a life for himself it would be for the empowering men above him. The narrator goes through rebirth and “had thought of myself as a man and here with a few words he'd made me as helpless as an infant” (Ellison 142) because Bledsoe had taken his pride, but more importantly his manliness. What Bledsoe makes of the narrator, is the creation of his identity. However it creates meaning because at this point in the novel his identity is degraded yet is seen as a “threat”.

The narrator creates the meaning of identity through acceptance of others opinions. He had a desire for others "who could give [him] a proper reflection of [his] importance" (Ellison 160) yet he could never find this truth because the world he was living in was blinded by racism, false identity and white supremacy. Throughout the novel the narrator creates several fake identity, however towards the end of the book he formulates an identity only he can accept and understand. In the end of the novel the invisible man thought, “When I discover who I am, I'll be free.” (Ellison 431) This realization determines his future and who he wants to be, but ultimately builds an identity he can accept. Once he has experienced the ups and downs of a racist society he has realized that he cannot accept what others think only what he sees himself as. At the very end of the novel he has created his identity through acceptance. He knows that his true identity is being invisible and living life for himself and not being controlled by the white supremacy or the overpowering black men.

Despite the narrators doubt through his journey, he has come to the conclusion that his true identity is invisibility. He is mistaken by all the false identities and his experiences only blinded him from the truth. Through the tough, racist societal changes the narrator is able create a identity for himself. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." The invisible man faces this and is restricted from accomplishing great things because he is looking for identity and avoiding race. Although this is difficult he manages to fight through the rough journey and achieves what he was initially looking for. The majority of the novel deals with the evolution of identity and the role race has on this change.