What Ellison is doing here, as Hemingway did, is equating the process of becoming an artist with that of becoming a man.
( ( What ( Ellison ( is ( doing here ) ) ) ) ( , ( ( as ( Hemingway did ) ) ( , ( ( is ( equating ( ( the process ) ( of ( ( becoming ( an artist ) ) ( with ( that ( of ( becoming ( a man ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (SBAR (WHNP (WP What)) (S (NP (NNP Ellison)) (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBG doing) (ADVP (RB here)))))) (, ,) (SBAR (IN as) (S (NP (NNP Hemingway)) (VP (VBD did)))) (, ,) (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBG equating) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN process)) (PP (IN of) (S (VP (VBG becoming) (NP (DT an) (NN artist)) (PP (IN with) (NP (NP (DT that)) (PP (IN of) (S (VP (VBG becoming) (NP (DT a) (NN man))))))))))))) (. .)))
The process to becoming a man is long and difficult.
( ( ( The process ) ( to ( becoming ( a man ) ) ) ) ( ( is ( ( long and ) difficult ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT The) (NN process)) (PP (TO to) (S (VP (VBG becoming) (NP (DT a) (NN man)))))) (VP (VBZ is) (ADJP (JJ long) (CC and) (JJ difficult))) (. .)))