Problem
Ralph Ellison: "Battle Royal" (1947)
The major plot element in Ellison's short story is the "smoker," or battle royal - a cruel boxing match pitting blindfolded young African American men against each other, orchestrated and attended by the town's white elite. Although Ellison's story is a powerful work of the imagination, these boxing events actually did take place in America, from the times of slavery into the twentieth century. Does knowing the veracity of what Ellison depicts influence the reception of the story?