Dream symbolism as seen through Ralph Ellison’s invisible man (1952)

Abstract

The question of the meaning of dreams is no longer a new subject in literature. From time unmemorable, the issue has fascinated many generations of thinkers. In fact, understanding and interpreting dreams have been concerns which depend greatly on cultures and civilizations. This article is aimed at examining how Ralph Ellison has approached the subject in his Invisible Man (1952). I have first clarified the concept of dream by suggesting a definition of the term and by presenting an overview of the dominant dream conceptions in the world. Then, I have pointed out two instances of dream from Ellison’s work and proposed an interpretation for each of them using Freud’s dream interpretation method. I have finally made a short analysis of these dreams in their respective context of black slavery and racial segregation in America. This analysis indicates that in the African-American culture, dreams had been an essential means for ancestors to educate and guide the black youngsters during the racial segregation period in America.