Ralph Ellison's "Battle Royal" is symbolic of the African American struggle for equality after the abolition of slavery. The various hardships that the narrator must endure in his quest to deliver his speech represent the many hardships that the blacks went through in their fight for equality. The narrator in Ellison's short story endures a great deal of suffering. He is considered to be one of the brighter youths in his black community, and Ellison explains that he was "invited to give [a] speech at a gathering of the town's leading white citizens."(938) His speech was passive and supportive of the white race. It was very similar to the "Atlanta Exposition Address" given by Booker T. Washington. Within Washington's speech he declares that blacks understand humility and do not expect to be viewed as socially equal(951). But, the harsh treatment that he is dealt in order to give his speech is quite symbolic of the many hardships that the African American people had to endure while they fought for their common goal, equality.

The main character expects to give his speech in a positive and normal environment. What faces him is something that he never would have imagined. Elliso

Totally engrossed by the fighting these men yelled cruel things and became frenzied. The men yelled, "Kill him! Kill that big boy!"(942) among other things. This is representative of how our nation's white population treated African Americans for many years. Often they took a stance of authority, feeling superior to the black minorities, and would often turn the blacks against one another. This belief is portrayed by the men's angered actions toward the boys.

n describes the scene: "All of the town's big shots were there [...] drinking beer and whiskey and smoking black cigars."(939) Before the young boy could give his speech they asked him to compete in a battle royal. The harsh conditions that the boys competing in the battle royal faced are phenomenal. At first the boys are ushered into a room where a nude woman is dancing. Ellison portrayed the woman as "a magnificent blonde-stark naked." The white men yell at the boys for looking, and then, for not looking at the woman. It is as if they are showing them all of the good things being white can bring, and then saying that they aren't good enough for it since they are black. It also shows the fear and disgust of the white race about interracial relationships. Gunnar Myrdal explains in his essay "Social Equality" that the white race believes inequality is necessary in order to prevent marriage between whites and blacks, therefore making it acceptable(957).

The dream that the narrator has at the end of the story is also significant towards showing the treatment of blacks in American society during this time

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Approximate Word count = 1074
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)