‘Black Skin, White Masks’

Frantz Fanon’s ‘Black Skin, White Masks’

Frantz Omar Fanon born in July 20, 1925 and died in December 6, 1961.

‘Black Skin, White Masks’ remains his prominent work which was published in 1952. It is basically his doctorate thesis on which he achieved his doctorate degree in psychiatry. This is his well admired non-fictional work, which criticises the condition of ‘Blacks’ among ‘Whites’. He more focuses on inferior psychological condition of black people and superiority complex in whites

Fanon divides his hypothesis into several parts.

‘Black Man and the Language’, this part of the hypothesis speaks of how language as a cultural tool works to take control over others.

“When you speak Whiteman’s language, you take on the world and their culture.” (Fanon)

Fanon argues that when you speak language of others directly or indirectly you admire them as well their culture and it began to shape you. Further he says “they start with simple “Hello” and ends it their racist idea. “You speak such perfect French!” that, they never speak to any White from the same university graduate.

‘The woman of colour and the White man’: this part of thesis deals with deep psychology of a black woman or woman of colour and their craving for a white man, not for love but it is for their individual hang-ups.

“I only know his blue eyes, blunt hair and light skin, so that I love him.” (Fanon)

‘The Black Man and the White Woman’:  same way black man also craves for white woman to satisfy their psyche and to beat down a white man’s superiority.

‘The White man and Psychopathology’: this is the foremost part of Fanon’s hypothesis; which speaks of fear in white man’s deep psyche for black man:

   1.  Blacks are less immoral than an animal.

   2.  They will take away white women.

‘Blacks are good in bed’ and they will snatch away white women; this fear always tortures the white men.