On Being The Target Of Discrimination By Ralph Ellison Summary

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Analyzing “On Being the Target of Discrimination” In the article, “On Being the Target of Discrimination”, written by Ralph Ellison, the use of pathos and ethos is used to convey the message of discrimination. As well as imagery to portray segregation in a very different manner. Through description and narration, the author gives the audience an idea of the disparity and differences between races. The purpose of this article is to signify discrimination and not only tell his side of the story, but as well as connecting with the audience in his experiences.
Born in Oklahoma, Ralph Ellison, was a very gifted writer. His father died when he was young and his mother became a domestic worker to provide for their family. Ellison struggled throughout …show more content…

He tells his audience that he remembers being brought up in a world he didn’t understand, but as time past he began to understand why things were they way they are. He tells about the many times he was confused because he wasn’t allowed to do things other kids his age were allowed to do. A simple act of walking to the park was unjust because of the color of his skin. He also understands the effect that discrimination has on his family and society as a whole. The term discrimination can be seen as “the act of making or perceiving a difference”(merriam-webster.com). These acts of discrimination are described and seen throughout Ellison’s short story. Ellison’s mother was the one who would stand up for Ellison and his brother whenever these horrible acts were being done to them. The use of imaginary imagery is seen in the article when Ellison describes his views on what he expects to see at school and in life.”For months you had been imagining your new experience and the children”(page 4432). Ellison tells the audience what he expects to happen when he arrives to school, but what actually happens is not what he expected. More uses of imagery are used when Ellison describes the way whites and blacks are being treated completely different. The contrast between whites and blacks is seen throughout this article, a simple trip to the zoo for Ellison and his family was seen as a crime and they were treated …show more content…

He does this to connect with the audience and to make you understand his experience more. As well as making it more personal and bringing light to the situation. The author also uses description and narration to make the reader see how poverty still to this day, is apparent in racially divided societies. In the beginning, Ellison tells his audience about his ambition to go to elementary school and how the construction of his elementary school signifies the interracial public school system and how it was his first experience with segregation. Ellison goes on to use “railroad tracks” as a metaphor to signify the poor part of town, since there is a train he has to wait for to pass everytime he goes to school and how dangerous it is for him. “A broad expanse of railroad tracks along which a constant traffic of freight-cars, switch engines, and passenger trains made it dangerous for a child to cross” (page 4433). Ellison used the term “on the other side of the tracks” throughout his story to tell the audience on how the rich neighborhoods were separated from the poorer ones. A railroad ran through both sides of the neighborhoods and he uses this to tell the differences from the white and

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