Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
"The Black Ball" by Ralph Ellison (1937 American South - Racism)…
"The Black Ball" by Ralph Ellison (1937 American South - Racism)
Color
White
"My ball is white"
"White building" or "nurse's white uniform"
"white boys on packing crates" and "white gardener" - only refers to white as race in negative instances associated with fear and injustice, respectively
Blue
Red
"see red"
Union rep.'s "red face"
Blood on John's hand
Narration v. Dialogue
first person narration = unfiltered frustration/anger
dialogue = maintains composure
Literary Allusion
Malraux's
Man's Fate
: novel about failed revolution
gift from Mrs. Johnson
White Characters
Mr. Berry: "hates that damned educated [n-word]"
Mrs. Johnson: "was always nice to my boy"
Union representative: intended to shake John's hand, understands injustices, "a fellow like me handing a fellow like you anything other than a rope"
"The Black Ball" by Ralph Ellison (1937 American South - Racism)
Symbolism
Color
Blue
son's "blue romper"
union rep.'s "blue coat" and "blue eyes"
Hands
Union rep.'s "Fried Hands"
John's "cut on hand"
Birds
Extended Metaphor
Symbolism
Hands
Birds