As a result of colonialism, a culture of defensiveness and an inherent inferiority proliferated the oppressed. As Tagore writes, “You ridiculed Horror / By making your own appearance hideous; You cowed Fear / By heightening your menacing grandeur,” (15-18). Here, Tagore is describing the defensive nature borne out of the catastrophic reality of colonialism. A natural system of defense by the Africans was prompted. Also, the psychological effects of what prompted the defensive nature of the colonized are irreversible. Decades later, Fanon discusses these effects, saying, “Every effort is made to bring the colonized person to admit the inferiority of his culture which has been transformed into instinctive patterns of behavior, to recognize this …show more content…
It seems that that is the only way a nation can ever hope to regain their sense of identity. Continuing on with the role of the oppressed is the acknowledgment of past forms of resistance, as not failures. Fanon writes, “They fought as well as they could, with the arms that they possessed then; and if the echoes of their struggle have not resounded in the international arena, we must realize that the reason for this silence lies less in their lack of heroism than in the fundamentally different international situation of our time. It needed more than one native to say ‘We’ve had enough’; more than one peasant rising crushed, more than one demonstration put down before we could today hold our own, certain in our victory” (207). Without the resistance movements, there would be no movement today. Fanon is placing great importance on the past, as it is what is responsible for the present. In the same right, Thiong’o writes, “Our fathers fought bravely” (191). Those fighting colonialism in the past did what they could with what they had. It is, therefore, unfair to place blame on them for the current disfiguration of identity and culture. Pride for their efforts and trials should be declared. Acknowledgement of the times in which those fought in the past should also be noted as determining the efficacy of their attempts. According to Fanon, it required more than once voice, more than one objection to the current tide, for any sort of change to occur. Historically, this is the case for all major socio-political movements. When looking through the lens of identity, these efforts, whatever their efficacy, are what make up identity. It is weaved into the culture of a people, much like self-identity. Therefore, it is imperative that the oppressed continue to fight and respond to their oppressors. Whatever the results are of their fight, it will indefinitely
Post-colonialism is a discourse draped in history. In one point in time or another, European colonialism dominated most non-European lands since the end of the Renaissance. Naturally, colonialists depicted the cultures of non-Europeans incorrectly and inferior. Traditionally, the canon has misappropriated and misrepresented these cultures, but also the Western academia has yet to teach us the valuable and basic lessons that allow true representations to develop. Partly in response, Post-colonialism arose. Though this term is a broad one, Post-colonialists generally agree on certain key principles. They understand that colonialism exploits the dominated people or country in one way or another, evoking inequalities. Examples of past inequalities include “genocide, economic exploitation, cultural decimation and political exclusion…” (Loomba 9-10). They abhor traditional colonialism but also believe that every people, through the context of their own cultures, have something to contribute to our understanding of human nature (Loomba 1-20). This is the theme that Lewis prescribes in his, self described, “satirical fantasy”, Out of the Silent Planet (Of Other 77).
...he “oppressed” will act toward freedom and reintegration into society and will eventually succeed in gaining back their freedom, but it will not be easy. To make steps in the right direction and to determine the right choice, one must take into account the impact silence or non-silence makes on the system as a whole; the better choice does not add to the mass incarceration.
Fanon start off his argument with describing how colonialism and decolonization are violent affairs. He describes the colonized and colonizer as old adversaries whose first meeting was rooted in violence and continued relationship was sustained at the point of a gun (Fanon, p. 2). He goes on to state that the colonized person is a fabricated person created by the colonizer and that the colonizer validates themselves, via wealth, through the colonial relationship. Decolonization, therefore, is the destruction of these fabrications and the liberation of ...
In the first segment of his film series, Different but Equal, Basil Davidson sets out to disprove the fictitious and degrading assumptions about African civilization made by various Western scholars and explorers. Whether it is the notion that Africans are “savage and crude in nature” or the presumed inability of Africans to advance technologically, these stereotypes are damaging to the image and history of Africa. Although European Renaissance art depicts the races of white and black in equal dignity, there was a drastic shift of European attitudes toward Africa that placed Africans in a much lower standing than people of any other culture. The continent of Africa quickly became ravished by the inhuman slave trade and any traditional civilization
In the words of Bertrand Russell, “Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom” (Russell). Fear causes many problems in our lives. Fear influences many of a person’s actions and decisions. However, people usually regret the decisions or actions they made out of fear. Also, these actions and decisions can cause problems for those people in their future. Fear is a harmful emotion, for it clouds people’s judgement, disables them from taking action, and causes them to make decisions that they will regret later.
Only recently has Ireland been included in the extensive study of postcolonial societies. Our geographical closeness to Britain, the fact that we are racially identical, the fact that we speak the same language and have the same value systems make our status as postcolonial problematic. Indeed, some would argue it is impossible to tell the difference between Irish and British. However, to mistake Irish for English to some is a grave insult. In this essay, I would like to look at Ireland’s emerging postcolonial status in relation to Frantz Fanon’s ‘The Wretched of the Earth’. By examining Fanon’s theories on the rise of cultural nationalism in colonised societies, one can see that events taking place in Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century bear all the hallmarks of a colonised people’s anti-colonial struggle through the revival of a culture that attempts to assert difference to the coloniser and the insistence on self-government.
Throughout history, governments and rulers have oppressed every option, idea and freedoms of their citizens. When the people fight back, they fight for different things due to their circumstances, like education or to get rid of censorship in the government and media. In the book Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Malala Yousafzai’s acceptance speech, both Malala and Marjane experience their freedoms being oppressed. For Malala’s case, her rights were stripped away when the extremist group known as the Taliban over took her town. Her right to an education then became a crime when she wanted to learn and girls were stopped from going to school. Similarly, Marjane’s freedom of expression was persecuted when the new government was installed and censored everything Western. Malala’s and Marjane’s actions are worthwhile because through their sacrifices
From the child in Omelas to a slaving factory worker, those who struggle from oppression have channeled their worth and refuse to remain pushed to the side and neglected.
Throughout one’s life, he or she will experience many situations where a lesson is learned, or a fear is amassed. One person may be able to deal with such terrors easily, while another will suffer because of the dread and panic that now haunts them. The poem ‘My Fear’ by Lawrence Raab discusses the haunting situation of fear following someone, and the personification, imagery, and tone of the speaker all provide depth to this seemingly innocent poem and allow one to truly appreciate how fear and troubles affect him or her.
I came to a conclusion I had not really thought of before : as a country that praises ourselves on being individualistic, most of our history is collectivistic. We all want to be different and unique, but then, when hard times come, we like to do the whole “in group - out group” scenario - whether it be in high school or political parties. We have a history of discriminating or accepting off of just a trait - for example, the tribulations faced due to color or gender. On the flip side, I learned that whatever struggles we have, we can get through it. It’s a basic motto, but I feel a sense of hope and determination when I read the stories of the men and women in the Harlem Renaissance and learn how far they have come now - though the fight is ongoing.
Also, the writing is sympathetic towards colonized natives. Fanon claims decolonization causes violent actions from both settlers and natives and creates intolerant views toward the opposite party. Violence from Europeans during the colonization is a tactic used to keep the natives oppressed and resistance minimal. The police officers and soldiers of the settlers used excessive force to show dominance and create an "atmosphere of submission" in native communities (Fanon, 38). European schools, churches, and economic societies were set up on colonized people's land.
While the economic and political damage of the scramble for Africa crippled the continent’s social structure, the mental warfare and system of hierarchy instituted by the Europeans, made the continent more susceptible to division and conquest. The scramble for partition commenced a psychological warfare, as many Africans were now thrust between the cultural barriers of two identities. As a result, institutions for racial inferiority became rooted in the cultural identity of the continent. This paper will expound on the impact of colonialism on the mental psyche of Africans and the employment of the mind as a means to seize control. I will outline how the mental hierarchy inculcated by the Europeans paved the way for their “divide and conquer” tactic, a tool essential for European success. Through evidence from a primary source by Edgar Canisius and the novel, King Leopold’s Ghost, I will show how colonial influences heightened the victimization of Africans through psychological means. I will culminate by showing how Robert Collins fails to provide a holistic account of colonialism, due to his inability to factor in the use of psychological warfare as a means to the end. By dissecting the minds of both the colonizer and the colonized, I hope to illustrate the susceptibility of African minds to European influences and how psychological warfare transformed Africans from survivors to victims during colonialism.
...s, so as to hone the contrast between Africa's creation, colonisation and post-colonialism periods. In stanza one, Tagore explores the creation of Africa and cleverly establishes a setting so primal and yet so admirable. This is followed by drastic tone changes in the following stanzas which disturbingly make Africa a victim of imperialism, thereby imparting to readers just a morsel of the hardship of African history. The poem also clearly illustrates the hypocrisy of Western imperialism in the final stanza, where Tagore's juxtaposition of images and words amplify this idea. Eventually, we recognise that the only form of redemption for such Western nations is through a plea for forgiveness that will come when they experience their own downfall.
The book “The Wretched of the Earth” written by Frantz Fanon, focuses on the impacts of colonialism on countries, that experienced colonisation and the social, cultural and political repercussions of a social body geared towards decolonisation and a sense of independence. Fanon also addresses themes that arose from colonisation such as oppression, independence, sustainable economic growth, capitalism etc. He delved deeply into the psychology of paradigms used by colonists and colonizers, to subtly deceive the marginalised, lower class population into moulding an oppressed, naive society. Fanon used his ability to write and intricate vocabulary to express his experiences.
Postcolonial authors use their literature and poetry to solidify, through criticism and celebration, an emerging national identity, which they have taken on the responsibility of representing. Surely, the reevaluation of national identity is an eventual and essential result of a country gaining independence from a colonial power, or a country emerging from a fledgling settler colony. However, to claim to be representative of that entire identity is a huge undertaking for an author trying to convey a postcolonial message. Each nation, province, island, state, neighborhood and individual is its own unique amalgamation of history, culture, language and tradition. Only by understanding and embracing the idea of cultural hybridity when attempting to explore the concept of national identity can any one individual, or nation, truly hope to understand or communicate the lasting effects of the colonial process.