Differing approaches to blackness, Fanon and Lamar
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Lamar and Fanon approach blackness with a harsh contrast
Fanon’s text, beautifully written is “melancholic”, it is written in a dynamic way, not unlike poetry so as to allow the reader to feel his passion and anguish. At first look his point of view may be seen as defeatist. He describes in detail the weight of his presence (Fanon, 83) and how he is a slave not of the “idea” others have of him but of his own appearance. This is similar to Zine’s point about the hijab and Fanon seems to despair in the fact that there is no way out of his body. Perhaps criticizable as internalized racism, I find his account to be raw, emotional, and honest. As a reader I feel privileged to gain insight into Fanon’s internal battles and thoughts that come with accepting his identity.
The vulnerability he writes off in the first part of the text such as his “imprisonment” (93,Fanon) and his wish to be recognized as just a man and not a black man (90, Fanon) is necessary for readers from an empathetic point of view. This is a realistic struggle that all black people must grapple with from a young age. The road to acceptance is linear and does not always begin with “black power” in a world where many types of racism are ever-present. The culminating example is when Fanon speaks of his body very violently as a “corporeal malediction” (90,Fanon)
Eventually however, following Fanon’s thought process he comes to accept and use his blackness “to make myself known”. However he seems to present this as his only option rather than a choice. In his acceptance of his identity he imagines the ways in which others view him. He accepts his identity as linked with other black people, his “brothers”. But most notably, there is a tone of anger in his voice, by what he cannot control.
Anger is where the end of Fanon’s essay shares similarities with Lamar’s song the blacker the berry. Lamar’s account of blackness, which is just a genius as Fanon’s fully embraces the stereotypes of a black man. Lamar is unapologetic in his identity. The anger felt in his voice can be understood as the stereotype of the angry black man, but also by the pressing nature of his message. Lamar is taking back his agency. He accepts the “bad” traits associated with his community as long as it is no longer the white man controlling the narrative. Lamar’s reclaiming of stereotypes is similar to people reclaiming the N word or the lgbtq+ community reclaiming words. Accepting these stereotypes is mocking the white man, showing not only that he is angry, but that he is not longer scared. Lamar’s lack of fear can be explained the criticizing of black people as hypocrite because they kill each other as well. He doesn’t just call out white people which is once again proof of his agency. Lamar believes he can be part of the solution. In contrast Fanon’s fear is still felt and therefore his will for agency cannot be felt through his text.