Racism is the overriding conflict throughout the story. The narrator is hardly seen or noticed in everyday life simply because of the color of his skin. During this time period, African Americans were seen more as animals than humans. This was evident during the Battle Royal when the narrator had to fight for his life.
While the invisibility was not always a terrible thing, everyone needs needs some type of outlet to release their stress: a baseball player breaking the bat over his knee, Sean cursing out the maintenance crew on a golf course. The narrator's outlet is the smooth tunes of Louis Armstrong. He senses the invisiblity in the music and is able to sympathize with it. His music during the Civil Rights' Era provided aid to many people who felt invisible or lost. They drown themselves in the music and forget about the obstacles they face every day. This feeling gives them the ability to suppress their hate and move on.
This link is the song the narrator listens to in the story and relates to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vDm1lomVHU
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