Blog 5: Deconstructing The Wretched of the Earth

Fanon’s book The Wretched of the Earth mentions Europe on almost every page. His entire discourse on decolonization intertwines around the colonizer. Ironically, that very book provides a testimony to not avenge the colonizer and focus on the future of your own nation. Metaphorically, it shows the frustration of a partner trapped in a relationship he does not wish to be in, despite their own displeasure they are forced to consider them in their decisions. Similar to how a colonized country is always imprinted by his colonizer. Thus, Algeria’s limited mobility due to its unwanted entanglement, leaves Fanon frustrated and angry. It also symbolizes the restricted capacity of a colonized country to make its own decisions, where the West dominates not simply by racial features any longer, but by the steady manipulation of the human mind.

“For Europe, for ourselves and for humanity, comrades, we must make a new start, develop a new way of thinking, and endeavour to create a new man”, even in the last sentence of his book, Fanon’s anger persists. As Fanon knows deep within his own thoughts that every new born has its own choices, however even those choices are influenced by their environment. Despite Fanon accepting that independence will lead to the new born not facing a colonised world, but he will surely be pulled down by the weight of the imperialist world. The whole idea that for once a man is in tuned with time, seems to be a mantra for the one who knows his death is at the next crossing. As a decolonised man might be in tuned with time, but he doesn’t realise that the world doesn’t exist around time anymore.

Fanon talks about being able to bandage wounds, what he doesn’t address is that who will provide the bandage? Like a partner stripped off and cheated in losing all their possessions, colonized countries need to start from the bottom with no one to support them. Fanon’s anger is much clearer now, it’s directed towards structural programs, neoliberalism and a global market that is designed to set Algeria back. Fanon didn’t live long enough to define the struggles he persists on mentioning in every chapter. However, his readers understood the anger is in his eyes that targeted the realities existing in the world today. Fanon’s references to the body also highlight the abuse and neglect of a country that yearns for love. Though, allowing the country to make its own decisions doesn’t mean it will be showered with love, Fanon knows it simply means more neglect and no accountability.
              Lastly, Fanon’s anger is the ability to perceive change but being unable to perform it. National Liberation Movements were carried but they never achieved what they really demanded. Fanon’s anger is shared even till today as it describes a harsh reality, decolonized countries seem like children looking at the stars thinking this world is now their starting point for new possibilities, only to realise that even the stars are already owned by the West.