Faulkner journeys with the help of a third-person narrative point of view where he utilizes the brain of the story’s hero, Colonel Sartoris Snopes. However, his third-person story viewpoint is explicitly a limited third-person viewpoint since Snopes knows something but not everything about the events that transpire and the involved characters. The story is consistent; the narrator sees everything through Sarty’s eyes and even reading his thoughts. For instance, Faulkner italicizes all Sarty’s thoughts, whereas the words he speaks loudly are not, thus adding a layer of reliability to the story. Faulkner uses the omniscient storyteller since it reminds readers that there are several points of view, remembering a supernatural one for which all realities are known to the creator. Also, sharing Sarty’s immediate impressions and decisions produces a solid bond between the kid and the reader.
While Jig was in dire need of sympathy when she compared the nearby hills to white elephants, the American man takes himself to be more reasonable and ends up patronizing her. The two had a sexual and complicated relationship which resulted in pregnancy. Their dialogue reveals the unborn child to be the subject of their conflict; the man wants the girl to have an abortion while the girl is unsure. Although Jig appears to be subservient, both partners are strong-willed, preventing them from understanding each other. On the other hand, Fitzgerald exemplifies Charlie’s family turmoil in his quest to gain custody over his daughter. He loves his daughter wholeheartedly and makes an effort to become a new and reformed man. We get the impression that Charlie would make a wonderful father; Fitzgerald never questions his comprehension of his daughter and the goodness of his intentions throughout the novel. However, a part of Charlie wants to return to his old life, making the reader question his credibility in reclaiming Honoria.
Ellison uses the Black Royal to signify the social and political power struggles depicted throughout the novel. The author addresses issues of race, class, and gender which are central to the struggle a black man undergoes in the hands of the white population. Reflecting on the narrator’s grandfather’s words that led with “Live with your head in the lion’s mouth” (Ellison, 1952, p.15), I conclude that he is encouraging the boy to play the white man’s game and live through the oppression to exploit his share of life opportunities.
References
Ellison, R. (1952). The Invisible Man. Random House.