Black Skin, White Mask

The most intriguing of all the texts used for comparison this semester is “Black Skin, White Mask.” The author of this book goes into great detail in his description of what happened during the colonial and post-colonial periods. In a specific way that captures the reader’s interest and feelings, the author narrates incidents such as the disorientation of individuals, time, and resources that are characteristic of this era.

Fanon’s rage is mirrored in western culture, analogous to the silent agony of abject suffering that most Africans must bear to live in rural and urban areas. It can also be likened to the resentment of a majority of people who have been marginalized in Asia and Latin America. It is also represented in the bitterness of those protesting against the Empire and the superiority complex of modern conservative ideologies, and the futility of the “War on Terror”. It is the anger of all those communities whose cultures, knowledge systems, and social norms have been ridiculed, termed inferior and ”traditional”, demonized, and in other cases, completely eliminated. It is not simply anger but fury over oppression and the perpetual dominance of Western civilization in the world.

This deep-seated anger is neither spontaneous nor some recently adopted passion for justice. On the contrary, this rage has developed from a continuous experience of fear and hatred, extensive self-analysis, and an even much lengthier thought and reflection experience. Consequently, it can be termed as a kind of guarded anger directed at a particular long-term desire. This desire is rooted in self-consciousness, the initial steps in the search for justice and dignity. Dignity, on the other hand, is not simply seeking equality with the white man but rather about accepting and practicing one’s culture and indigenous knowledge. This book is a direct reflection of the author’s journey of self discovery and pursuit of dignity – a journey that is familiar to all those who have been required to accept and endure Western civilization.

Work Cited

Fanon, F. (2008). Black skin, white masks. New York: Grove Press