Ralph Ellison and Invisible Man

My Advanced Placement (AP) seniors are currently doing presentations on a novel of their choice. They must OWN that book, in order words, they should do a lot of research on it, and know it like I know Their Eyes Were Watching God and Zora Neale Hurston.

The presentation should take about forty minutes and must include a PowerPoint presentation, visual connections, and a passage from the novel for the class and me to analyze.

One of my students asked if he could do Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. I did not not want to discourage him from reading and presenting on this awesome book, but I did explain to him that this is an awesome book, actually one of my favorites; however, it is not an easy read at all.

I remember the first time that I picked up Invisible Man, I had to read the beginning several times before I "got it."

I told him that I knew that he could do it, but I wanted him to make sure that he was up for the challenge...

Well, he did his presentation and "He made his teacher proud!"

This senior is ready for college; he read this book, "got it," and did an awesome presentation.

And, he is also clever! He talked about the fact that Ralph Ellison attended Tuskegee Institute, and he mentioned the first President of Tuskegee Institute, Booker T. Washington. The student knew that mentioning Tuskegee and Booker T. Washington would boost his grade considerable. (I proudly graduated  from what is now known as Tuskegee University.)

Student Presentation

Student Presentation

College, look out, an awesome student is on the way.....