Frantz Fanon
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The main theme of Frantz Fanon (1967) in Black Skin, White Masks is the “disalienation of the black man” (38). Fanon uses language as a primary example of how oppressive, dominant cultures often alienate minority cultures from themselves and each other through reinforcing the values and beliefs of the dominant culture as “superior” to those of the minority culture. To Fanon the white man is sealed in his whiteness and the black man is sealed in his blackness, without the possibility of integration. In a pernicious process, norms of the white culture are reinforced through social institutions in ways that posit them as superior to those of minority cultures. This not only keeps change from occurring in society, but it also serves to manifest feelings of low self-worth in blacks that make them want to alienate themselves from their very self. This is what Fanon (1967) means by alienation when he states, “A Senegalese learns Creole in order to pass as an Antilles. I call this alienation. The Antilles Negroes who know him never weary of making jokes about him: I call this lack of judgment” (38).Fanon gives an excellent example of this process when he discusses the separate perspectives of the white man and the black man both watching the film Tarzan. The black man immediately identifies himself as Tarzan fighting the savages, but the white audience identifies the black man as one of the savages. This cause black individuals to i
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context in which one exists deprives minority individuals a language of their own that is accepted as a socially acceptable means of communication. Therefore, many blacks give up their own language and adopt the language of the culture perceived as dominant qua superior. Like Peck argues above, Fanon (1967) argues that such a process lacks common sense because it divides people and robs people of their true nature. As he maintains, “The fact remains true, authentic love-wishing for others is what one postulates for oneself, when that postulation unites the permanent values of human reality-entails the mobilization of psychic drives basically freed of unconscious conflicts” (Fanon 1967, 41). Thus those making fun of the Senegalese are denying him his humanity while undermining their own, which is why Fanon says they lack common sense.
This lack of common sense stems from the fact that we are all connected in a universal manner on the human level. This is true of freedom, love, dignity and other aspects of existence all humans are entitled to. We are all connected as human beings. If we demean or diminish others, we diminish the whole of the human race. We rob others of their right to live a free, true life while we lose th
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1339
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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