Books like Black Skin, White Masks

Black Skins White Masks is a scary book. In it Fanon discusses the black man’s experience in a white world; he ironically, and justly, creates an image of the world through a black lens, so to speak. \ \ “The N**** enslaved by his inferiority, the white man enslaved by his superiority alike behaves in accordance with a neurotic orientation.”\ \ The crux of the work resides on the black man’s experience and how he is perceived, and how he is forced to perceive himself. Fanon argues that language is the key and it had a profound effect to the human psyche. To speak the white man’s language is to crush a part of the African heritage. Fanon argues that “to speak is to exist absolutely for the other.’’ Fanon points out that for the black man to be considered equal in the white man’s culture, he must become whiter. This is achieved through a similar education and an acceptance of white culture. And here’s the rub: such a relationship creates a profound inferiority complex for the original culture of the black man; it is, in essence, repressed and destroyed. Later in the book, Fanon suggests that these blacks who are trying to be whiter should stop in their endeavours. They should remember their heritage and recognise that differences will always exist between two cultures. He recognised that the black man, although embracing white culture, is still treated as inferior; therefore, there is little point in doing so because a patronising relationship will only be achieved. This is a stark observation, true, but also very idealistic. I don’t think it fully considers what the ramifications would be for one who living in white culture would be subjected to if they deviated from the norm. The racism would be even worse. Needless to say it’s a little bit of a loose loose situation, which will only be alleviated when people open their eyes.As Fanon concludes:“The N***** is not. Any more than the white man.Both must turn their back on the inhuman voices which were those of their respective ancestors in order that authentic communication be possible. Before he can adopt a positive voice, freedom require an effort at disalienation. At the beginning of his life a man is always clotted, he is drowned in contingency. The tragedy of man is that he was once a child.”Fanon’s answer to the alienation is an obvious one: stop being so stupid world! We’re all men: we’re all the same species. The sad thing is that a book like this actually had to be written. It bears a strong message, and the style is persuasive and emotionally engaging: the anger and injustice come bursting through the narration. Stylistically speaking, this book is remarkable. However, Fanon was a product of his time. He is misogynistic and incredibly homophobic. The females barely have a voice and the homosexuals are linked with women as an indirect insult. To be gay is to be no less a man. Womanhood has nothing to do with it. It also deals with complex psychological matters, which I’m not going to go into, but it suggests how these relationships have been created within the human psyche. It’s a penetrating work, one that demands to be read once you’ve read those first few sentences: \ The explosion will not happen today. It is too soon…or too late.\