Folklore and Myth in Ralph Ellison's Early Works

The significance of folklore and myth in the writing of Ralph Ellison has been established since the publication of "Invisible Man". This study traces the development of Ellison's use of folkloric and mythic elements in the short stories, critics and essays published prior to his novel. The influence of Afro-American folklore since the 19th century are explored. The impact of his contemporaries such as Richard Wright, André Malraux, Kenneth Burke and Ellison's work on the Federal Writers' Project are also discussed. Folklore and myth are revealed as key structural and thematic elements in all of Ellison's prose from his first attempts at reportage, criticism and short stories to the prose published immediately prior to "Invisible Man".