Freedom and Constraint
Freedom is the ability to communicate one's thoughts and act as one sees appropriate. We do have personal freedom, but it is severely constrained and controlled by particular socioeconomic and political climates, as stated in the quotation. As a result, freedom is an illusion because one's choices are greatly constrained by these factors. (Driver, p.4). For instance, a nation's laws limit the options accessible to its citizens, preventing them from enjoying complete freedom. Furthermore, one's environment shapes their options because, despite having lofty goals, individuals from low-income families have few choices. The quote is significant since it describes that a person's freedom is determined by where they are born, the community they belong to and the laws governing their country.
Effect on Identity Development
This quote can be important in analyzing the book, Invisible Man because as the narrator tries to develop his identity, he finds that he is limited by the values and expectations imposed on him which restrict his advancement. For instance, after arriving in New York, the narrator is employed by Liberty Paints, and he assigned the activity of mixing the paint tones in which the African Americans are highly efficient (Ellison, p.225). However, the factory does not give credit to the African Americans, and therefore the African Americans cannot progress in their career at the company despite their hard work, ambition or creativity. Accordingly, the narrator is limited by the fact that the Whites looks down upon people of color and hence, he has finite options.
Cited Works
Driver, Tom. "The Illusion of Freedom in an Unfree Society." Critical Reflections: A Student Journal on Contemporary Sociological Issues (2016). Retrieved from: https://ojs.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/index.php/SOC/article/download/4437/4278
Ellison, Ralph. Invisible man. Penguin UK, 2016.
