Many critics view Invisible Man as one of the great American novels of the 20th century and perhaps the greatest novel by an African-American writer. This classic novel reflected race relations in America at the beginning of the civil rights movement. Few works have brought to life with such candor and lyrical grace, the life of a man who feels himself marginalized to the point of being rendered invisibly nonexistent. This new offering in the Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations series considers Ralph Ellison's novel through a selection of critical essays. Additional features include an index for easy reference, notes on the contributing writers, a bibliography of the author's work, a chronology detailing the author's life, and an introductory essay by the author, a literature professor.