Writing Homework Help

I’m working on a writing discussion question and need support to help me study.

This week’s discussion forum focuses on Ralph Ellison’s “Battle Royal,” the very first chapter of his novel, Invisible Man, which was published in 1952. In the story, our unnamed narrator is invited by the town’s leaders to deliver his successful graduation speech to the group. Despite being forced to participate in the degrading battle royal, our narrator remains eager to deliver his speech.

When he is finally permitted to recite his speech, the narrator stumbles over his words and accidentally says “social equality” instead of “social responsibility.” This mistake upsets the town’s most respected figures, and our narrator says that he did not mean to say “equality” but “responsibility.”

Writing Prompt:

Why did the white men take offense at the narrator’s use of “equality”? What’s the difference between “social equality” and “social responsibility”? Why does one term sit well with the narrator’s audience, while the other term does not?

Support your claims with direct quotations (with in-text citations) from the story.

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