Overlapping Themes in "Invisible Man" and "When They See Us"

            The novel “Invisible Man”, by Ralph Waldo Ellison has overlapping themes with the Netflix series, “When They See Us”, directed by Ava DuVernay. The novel by Ellison follows the experience of an unnamed African American man in America during the 1930s. The series by DuVernay explains the experience of a group of five teenage boys from Harlem after they are wrongfully convicted of assaulting and raping a woman in Central Park in April 1989. The series was published in 2019 and follows the story of Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana, as known as The Central Park Five. Both the series and the novel reflects on the struggles of boys/men of color against discriminatory systems within society. These two works have overlapping themes, which can be found in their narratives, titles, and settings.

            “Invisible Man” and “When They See Us” have similar narrative styles. The novel begins with the narrator in (his) present-day Harlem. He explains how he lives in isolation as an “invisible man” and then continues through the journey which brought him into the situation, starting with his youth. The Netflix series begins with subtitles explaining the circumstances of the case it is about to present. The first scene of the series is the morning of April 19th, 1989. It showcases the five teenagers before the crime was committed. The series then continues with the story of the boys’ trials, life in prison, and life after prison. Throughout the series, some moments jump back and forth from the teenagers’ youth and their adult lives.  Both the novel and the series have cyclical narratives. By connecting the events of the past to the present, it shows the significance of how history is intertwined. These narratives show history as a cycle of events, which lead to the outcomes of the protagonists.

           The titles of these two pieces of work also share a similar message. The narrator in the novel by Ellison calls himself an “invisible man”. This is because of the way society treats African Americans during this time. He is treated with disrespect and abuse throughout his life. A similar message is seen within “When They See Us”. Both titles imply that these protagonists are not seen as people within society. They are seen only for their race, which leads them to face discrimination and prejudice in all aspects of American life. For the narrator in Ellison’s novel, he was discriminated against in the education system and workplace. The boys in series were discriminated against in the justice system, which leads to struggles receiving work and education in their adult lives. Both the titles “Invisible Man” and “When They See Us” are a reflection of societies’ views on boys/men of color.

           Both the novel and the Netflix series take place in Harlem, an incredibly historical part of New York City. “Invisible Man” takes place during the Harlem Renaissance and “When They See Us” takes place during the 1980s-2000s. These periods are significant in the African American experience in the United States, both culturally and politically. The Harlem Renaissance was known for jazz music and political movements for African American rights. The 1980s-2000s are known for hip-hop and political movements such as Black Lives Matter. The novel and the series are both creative ways of expressing the history of Harlem during two different decades.  

  

                                                                                              By: Mohema Hussain