ndyearningsforlove.AsatypicalfeatureofAfricanAmericanculture,BluesisoneoftheoriginalbasisandculturalsourcesinstudyingthetextofAfricanAmericanliterature.BlackwriterRalphEllison’sInvisibleManisoneofthemostinfluentialAmericannovelssinceWorldWarII.AndEllison’sapplicationofBluesinitsthematicrepresentation,characterizationandnarrationcontributestohisprominentstatusinAmericanliteraryhistory.HerthesisistoexplorehowEllisonemploystheformsandperformingtechniquesofbluestorepresentitsvariedthemes,delineateitsvividcharactersandformauniquestyleinnarration.InChapter1,introducethemusicaldefinitionofBluesanditsliterarysignificancewiththesupportofBaker’sBlues—VernacularTheory.InChapter2,plexthemesofthenovel.ToEllison,theBluesorBluesMoodisasymbolicexpressionofthehumancondition.Themeaningofbluesisidenticalwith