Chapter 1 “The Negro and Language” - RICHARD L. W ...

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Frantz Fanon Black Skin White Masks (1952)

Chapter 1 “The Negro and Language”

Fanon in this chapter states that the Black man has two dimensions, one with his fellow “negroes”,
and the other with the white man. The black man interacts with both of these differently, a self-
division which is a direct result of colonialist subjugation “is beyond question” (17). The problem in
this chapter which fanon addresses is that “The Negro of the Antilles will be proportionately whither
–that is he will come closer to being a real human being- in direct ratio to his mastery of the French
language”. For Fanon a man who has language consequently possesses the world expressed and
implied by that language. Simply put, mastery of language affords remarkable power.

Once a group of people are
colonized they are forced to find themselves face to face with the civilizing nation’s language, at the
cost of death of the colonized people’s own language. With each renouncement of his blackness, the
Negro becomes whiter and elevated above his “jungle” (18) status, as he adopts the culture of the
“mother country” (18). Fanon gives an example of the black man who has lived in France for a length
of time returns radically changed, “To express it in generic terms, his phenotype undergoes a
definitive, an absolute mutation” (19). Fanon also claims that even before the Negro begins living
abroad, the change begins in preparation for this trip. Negroes that return after the journey, return
“full of themselves”, believing they have completed a cycle and gained something they believed they
were lacking. His mannerisms change to reflect this supposed metamorphosis; instead of “the wide
sweep of the arm”. Even the children of Martinique are taught to avoid creole and dialect, and to
embrace French. Creole despite being the authentic language of the people becomes a “symbol of

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disgrace” if spoken or used. One must take “great pains” in the language he speaks, due to the fear
of being judged for using it. Fanon believes that within any group of Negroes in the Antilles, the one
who has “mastered” the language is inordinately feared. Because of the stereotypes and negative
beliefs of the Negro and his speech, such as the “R-eating man from Martinique”, he will try all that
is deemed necessary to master “diction”. To the Negro on his island, the allure and appeal of the
European culture, is like a rush of pure air as the world opens up to him. When the black man arrives
in France it is as if he has journeyed to the mecca, a tabernacle of sorts. Due to this, he changes, not
only because “it is from France that he received his knowledge of Montesqieu, Rosseau and Volitaire”
but also because it gave him put simply, everything. In accepting one culture, the black man alienates
another and upon his return it is evident in his speech, “answering in French and often no longer
understanding creole”. Due to this change the “newcomer” as he or she is called, becomes critical of
his compatriots. This acceptance of another language than the one they (the Negroes of the Antilles)
were born into, is evidence of dislocation and separation, but most of all, it is evidence of an
inferiority complex.

Chapter 5 “The Fact of Blackness”

Fanon in his creating “The Fact of Blackness” uses the example of his own life and the struggles he
endured, such the psychologically alienating effects of colonialism and racism. He then uses them to
illustrate the difficulties the Negro in particular face in his attempt to develop affirming, positive
identities (against the stereotypes) in the face of white supremacy. In this racist society, Fanon
argues, black people “experience [their] being through others” (109) for example a black man comes

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to terms with who he is or the prejudices others use to discern who he is by the negative ways in

which white people react to the presence of him as black person. In this society it is demanded that

the black man objectifies himself; the social customs, myths, racist policies, and stereotypes. This

same matrix of meanings cut black people off from any “universal” (white) definition of what it means

to be human. The black man seeing this tries

to assimilate to the cultural demands of his white colonizers– an attempt that not only alienates him

from other black people, but can never actually free him from the racist matrix of meanings that

determine his situation. Upon seeing that even achieving success by white social and economic

standards can only reconstitute him as an upstart as well as alienate him from his own Negro

community, the black man starts to see himself as a threatening individual to both white and black

alike, and must be wary of his activities. Fanon attempts to appeal to rationality: to educate white

people, to demonstrate that their prejudice is unreasoned and not fair to the black man.

Chapter 7 “The Negro And Recognition”

In the beginning of this discourse Frantz fanon addresses the Negro who wishes to be like the
white man because he feels this is the superior other. He contends that had he been an Adlerian he
would advise him according to M. Mannoni to “…simply…resign yourself to remaining in the place
that has been assigned to you” (216). Fanon states that he does not hold the environment or society
responsible for what he calls the “delusion” of the Negro who wishes to be white. However he implies
that the school inspectors and government functionaries have played a role using programs to make
the Negro a white man and has told him that he is dependable on the white man. Fanon then turns his

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attention to Hegel and addressed the issues of self-consciousness and recognition.
According to Hegel “self-consciousness exist in itself

and for itself, in that and by that the fact that it exists for another self-consciousness, that is to say,
it is only by being acknowledged or recognized” (216). He contends that a man lives to be recognized
and until he is recognized he will aim his actions at the other and it is only upon recognition that he
will feel human worth. Hence if one does not recognize the other he “keep(s) the other within
himself” ultimately depriving him even of this being-for-itself (217). Hegel argues that to stop this
“vicious circle” from occurring one must restore the other through recognition. However it is stated
that the act must be mutual with recognition taking place on both ends, “action from one side only
would be useless, because what is to happen can only be brought about by means of both…”; “they
recognize themselves as mutually recognizing each other” (217). Hegel argues that in order for one
to feel a certainty of oneself the process of recognition is necessary. Fanon goes on to argue that
when self-consciousness is resisted it experiences desire which is a milestone that leads to the “dignity
of the spirit” (218). Fanon contends that by risking one’s life freedom is obtained and only then is it
proven that self-consciousness is more than just existence. It may be said that desire to be recognized
and being recognized is what brings the Negro in this case, into being. “As soon as I desire I am
asking to be considered I am not merely here- and- now, sealed into thingness… I demand that notice
be taken of my negating activity…I do battle for the creation of a human world- that is, of a world
of reciprocal recognition” (218). Fanon argues that recognition without struggle was not true
“recognition as an independent self-consciousness”. He uses the example of a Negro who is set free
by his master without a fight and stipulates that the Negro “knows nothing of the cost of freedom.”
This slave therefore is not truly recognized as an independent self-consciousness but merely as a

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person. Fanon contends that the slave who fights for his freedom confronts the white man and in so
doing challenges his humanity by causing conflict, by demanding his recognition and not merely
receiving it the conflict occurs. Therefore recognition and moreover recognition as a result of conflict
is what makes a man recognized as a person and an independent self-consciousness.