Ethics and the invisible man The question of ethics is central to the theme of the Invisible Man. This essay will examine the ethical issues presented in Ellison's novel in the context of Kenneth Strike's "Principle of Equal Respect." In one episode, the Invisible Man is in his third year at a black college and is regarded by the president, Dr. Bledsoe, as bright and trustworthy, a young man who has potential. Dr. Bledsoe assigns him to accompany an important trustee, Mr. Norton, on a tour of the surrounding area. The Invisible Man inadvertently leads Norton into the old slave quarters, past the house of Jim Trueblood, a local pariah who has committed incest with his young daughter; both his wife and daughter are pregnant by him. At Norton's insistence, the student stops. Norton feels compelled to listen to Trueblood's fascinating version of his crime. Embellished several times, it is so effective that Norton has a mild stroke. Before leaving, however, Norton gives Trueblood $100, a gesture that angers the Invisible Man, who sees it as a reward for a heinous crime. He is careful, however, to mask his emotions. When he returns to campus, the Invisible Man is severely reprimanded by Dr. Bledsoe for betraying his trust and exposing the trustee to "trash" like Jim Trueblood. The Invisible Man is made to believe that he should have acted deceptively; he should have had enough sense to deal with white people. Then he is made to believe that he is being given a free semester, but in reality the young man is expelled from college. Bledsoe delivers sealed letters from the Invisible Man to powerful men in New York City, saying they will help him find a job. However, when the Invisible Man visits the offices of these men, he fails to get even an interview. Eventually a man reveals that the letters define the bearer as an enemy of the college who should not be helped but who should be given the illusion of hope. The reader may wonder whether Bledsoe is behaving ethically or using his power abusively. One could argue that, as president of the college, Dr. Bledsoe is responsible for the lives and education of hundreds of students. In this regard, he will have to be careful not to offend the powerful supporters necessary for the institution's survival. But this allows for his sacrifice of the Invisible Man?