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Response Essay 1: "Battle Royal" by Ellison,
Ralph.
In the story Battle Royal by Ellison Ralph, the idea of blindness has a deep hidden massage
of metaphor influencing how the characters view themselves and people around them. Protagonists
in both Cathedral by Carver and Battle Royal face a serious problem of finding their true identity
and that of the other people, which is contributed by the pressure from the community. Through a
thorough comparison of how blindness has been used in both cathedrals and battle royals, we can
understand how limited knowledge and perception influenced by society affect characters in their
effort towards self-awareness.
In the story Battle Royal, the narrator is involved in the boxing match while blindfolded,
showing how he is unable to see and gauge the kind of person he is facing on the boxing match
due to racism based on his black color. Ellison (289) says, “I was looking for myself and asking
everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.” This shows struggles of
identity and how black Americans are blinded from knowing their rights and worth.
Similarly, the narrator of Cathedral portrays a metaphorical blindness that is connected to
his emotional detachment towards Robert, who is a blind man. At first, the narrator judges Robert
due to his blindness. The narrator cannot connect with Robert due to his visual disability. However,
his mind changes when he closes his eyes and holds cathedral through the guidance of Robert; it
Instructor’s name
course tItle
Date
Response Essay 1: "Battle Royal" by Ellison,
Ralph.
In the story Battle Royal by Ellison Ralph, the idea of blindness has a deep hidden massage
of metaphor influencing how the characters view themselves and people around them. Protagonists
in both Cathedral by Carver and Battle Royal face a serious problem of finding their true identity
and that of the other people, which is contributed by the pressure from the community. Through a
thorough comparison of how blindness has been used in both cathedrals and battle royals, we can
understand how limited knowledge and perception influenced by society affect characters in their
effort towards self-awareness.
In the story Battle Royal, the narrator is involved in the boxing match while blindfolded,
showing how he is unable to see and gauge the kind of person he is facing on the boxing match
due to racism based on his black color. Ellison (289) says, “I was looking for myself and asking
everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.” This shows struggles of
identity and how black Americans are blinded from knowing their rights and worth.
Similarly, the narrator of Cathedral portrays a metaphorical blindness that is connected to
his emotional detachment towards Robert, who is a blind man. At first, the narrator judges Robert
due to his blindness. The narrator cannot connect with Robert due to his visual disability. However,
his mind changes when he closes his eyes and holds cathedral through the guidance of Robert; it
