Poetic Invisibility

       The Invisible Man states, “Perhaps I like Louis Armstrong because he’s made poetry out of being invisible. I think it must be because he’s unaware that he is invisible. And my own grasp of invisibility aids me to understand his music”(8).

       Contrary to the Invisible Man’s beliefs, perhaps Louis Armstrong’s music is poetic and raw because he is aware that he is invisible. Prior to the success of his music career, Armstrong was once an invisible man similar to the narrator. Louis Armstrong's poetic lyrics of his hit song “Black and Blue” perfectly depicts the feeling of being invisible- “my only sin is on my skin. What did I do to be so black and blue?” Since Armstrong was a black man, he faced a plethora of hardships, such as not being seen as an equal- especially within his music career.

       Throughout the novel, the narrator emphasizes that he is invisible to society and often refers to himself as an invisible man.The narrator is constantly being overlooked because of the color of his skin and as a result he struggles with self-identification and his life purpose. Being that the narrator accepts the persona of an invisible man, he is putting himself down based on society's perception. Rather than dwell on his invisibility, the narrator should  look at Louis Armstrong as a precedent to break away from society's narrow-minded views.

       During the time “The Invisible Man” takes place, life was an unremitting struggle for black people. Although the color of one’s skin is inevitable, were constantly harassed and abused as the result of prejudices. Louis Armstrong's music, however, instilled a sense of hope through his relatable lyrics within the black community- especially the narrator.

Louis Armstrong did not sulk about being invisible, however, he used his invisibility as the basis for his          poetic lyrics