How can I analyze the symbolic purpose of the naked blonde in Battle Royal by Ellison? What is her purpose in the text, and how does it relate...

I'm
not sure how tightly you have to relate your analysis to racism. Racism is a form of
discrimination, and sexism is also a form of discrimination. The two do relate in that aspect.
You could do an analysis of the naked woman in terms of sexism and sexual
objectification. She exists in the story for two reasons. She is there to make the boys feel
incredibly awkward, and she is there for the sexual titillation of the rich white men in charge
of this horrible gathering. The naked woman exists as a sexual object to be ogled at by the men,
and several of the men feel it is entirely appropriate to grope at her as if she were a mere
object to be grabbed and passed around.

One angle I would consider in your
analysis is how the woman is in a similar situation to the black boys. She is just as powerless
as they are, because she is treated as an object. Grammar lessons tell us that subjects do the
actions, and objects are the receivers of those actions. The woman is not in control of
the...