Jazz

In the movie in class, it was mentioned that Ellison actually started his career in music, specifically jazz. It's fairly plain that Invisible Man is a little bit autobiographical, and it seemed to me that jazz (and the desire to become a musician) to Ellison was something like writing (and the related aspirations of professional success) to the narrator. They were skills, passion even, that started to show early in life. The narrator's graduation speech is highly praised, and Ellison began playing the cornet at age 9. Both young men received a scholarship for their talent that sent them to (extremely similar) colleges. They perused their talent in college for some time before being side-tracked and leaving for New York.
In their jobs after this they abandoned their skills somewhat. Ellison worked briefly with the communist party, and the narrator's search for a job initially ended at a paint factory, where literary prowess was completely useless.
In the more long term jobs that they find after this their talents come in handy some, but are not primary requirements in the job description. I'm speaking here of the narrator's work in the Brotherhood and Ellison early literary work; short stories for magazines and what not. I do not think that these were exactly parallel times, because Ellison's job would evolve into something much more long term, while the narrator would soon become disillusioned with the Brotherhood, but both times represent old skills showing through in a new context.
Music introduced Ellison to artistic thought. More specifically, an interest in music generally comes along with some amount of lyrical consideration. In this way, Ellison was likely prepared somewhat for poetry. Jazz also influenced the style and themes of some of his writing. Ellison speaks in his introduction to Invisible man of how he drew from his training in Jazz when writing the novel. The way he describes the book coming out of itself is reminiscent of jazz improv, and Louis Armstrong's "Black and Blue" prompts the question that gets the book started.
Similarly, the narrator's oratory skills make him a useful member of the Brotherhood--it's even what gets him the occupation in the first place-- but it's not the primary aspect of the job. As we learn more and more throughout the story, he is a face more than a voice, but he builds his power as a symbol through his speeches.
I think it is important to note that, in the end of the novel, the narrator is pursuing his talent fully; writing a novel, while Ellison sticks with literature. However, the narrator is not using his talent for the job(s) he had originally intended to have. Likewise, while Ellison stuck with literature and did not return to Jazz, his fascination with music continued to influence his work (one example is his short story "Living with Music").