Discrimination in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and Richard Wright's Native Son

In spite of differences in gender, skin colour, religion, nationality, tribe, and race, simply being human with a soul and flesh is regarded as a common feature for all humanity. Equality is one of the fundamental rights desired by and based on human nature, which is why everyone wishes to be treated equally. Since African Americans in the United States of America are oppressed and enslaved, their rights are violated because of their blackness, shedding light upon such concepts as equality is necessary. Blacks from the most cultured among whom are authors, writers, novelists, poets, and playwrights to the most uncultured farmers intend to break chains upon them which is called discrimination based on their race. So as to verify and embody the idea, shedding light on the works of two black novelists is a need. Richard Wright as a prominent novelist in Native Son and Ralph Ellison as a remarkable author in Invisible Man illustrates the concept of discrimination in a very unique but excellent way. Both novelists in their masterpiece works describe their protagonists as oppressed by white discriminators in which they tried hard to prove themselves and indicate the ability of the blacks. The society, system, and authority put obstacles in their way as hindrances. For instance, the jurisprudence which is set to treat people equally charged Wright's protagonist out of his race not even giving the right to defend himself. Ellison's protagonist hopes to make progress in New York, but he is not allowed and what is more, his world is destroyed. The present study tries to reveal the fact that what both writers were trying to do was nothing but to see blacks as equal. To this end, they attempted their best capacity to gain it. VIII Key Words: Native Son, Invisible Man, Discrimination, African-American, Jim Crow Laws.