Some scholars have interpreted the naked blonde lady as a symbol of the unattainable nature of the American Dream for African Americans. It's notable that the exotic dancer has a tattoo of the stars and stripes on her belly. This could be interpreted as a symbol of the American Dream and the promise it holds for those who seek to attain it. But for the young African American boys forced to slug it out in front of a baying crowd of white men, the American Dream will forever be just that. The presence of the blonde stripper is a none-too-subtle reminder to them that all the good things of life are not for them; no matter how hard they study or toil, the American Dream and all it represents will remain permanently out of reach.

In "Battle Royal," the first chapter of Invisible Man, the narrator has been asked to give a speech only to find out that he is instead expected to box on stage.  Before the boxing matches begin, the crowd gets quite drunk and a naked blonde lady is paraded across the stage for the whole crowd to see.  The members of the crowd are primarily white male spectators and the boys who will box are black youth.  Amid this scene, the naked blonde lady is a symbol for the stereotypical notion that white women are unattainable yet desired by black men.  So she is put on display for the spectator crowd to suggest their ownership of her sexuality.  Further, the boxing match is a scene that shows the power of the crowd and the organizers over the young black men, and so too does this power extend to women.  As a result, the entire scene is a complete backlash against the supposed values of the American system and what the narrator thought he would speaking about when agreeing to come to the event.