Introduction to Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth.pptx

Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth

Role of Violence
Violence is the foundation of colonialism and the key to decolonization. It restores the colonized's self-respect and unifies them in the struggle for freedom.

Manichaeism
Colonialism divides the world into two opposing zones (Settler vs. Native). The settler dehumanizes the native, while the native reverses this view, seeing the settler as the ultimate evil.

"Infrastructure is Also a Superstructure"
In colonies, economic exploitation (infrastructure) is visibly expressed through racial and spatial segregation (superstructure), making inequality direct and undeniable.

Racialization of Culture
Fanon critiques native intellectuals who defend pre-colonial culture as static. True culture is dynamic, born from the revolutionary struggle, not from nostalgia.

National Bourgeoisie
This educated class, emerging after independence, is "useless" because it lacks the ability to build a nation and becomes a tool for neo-colonialism and dictatorial control.

Decolonization and Global Capitalism
Decolonization disrupts Western economies, leading to a crisis that forces European workers to challenge capitalism, aligning them with anti-imperial movements.

Culture and Combat
Combat for freedom creates culture. The struggle unites the people, breaking down divisions and creating a new, collective national identity.

1. Presented by - Bhargav Makwana Rutvi Pal Shruti Sonani Introduction to Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth

2. T able of contents Introduction of Author Introduction of The wretched of the earth Characters Summary Themes Critical points Conclusion

3. Introduction to Frantz Fanon 1. Biographical Information Full Name: Frantz Omar Fanon Date of Birth: July 20, 1925 Place of Birth: Fort-de-France, Martinique (then a French colony) Date of Death: December 6, 1961 (aged 36) Cause of Death: Leukemia (diagnosed in 1960) Nationality: French colonial subject (Martinique), later aligned with the Algerian Front de Libération Nationale (FLN). Professions: Psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary, and writer.

4. Introduction to Frantz Fanon 1925: Born in Fort-de-France, Martinique. 1943: Joins Free French Army in WWII; faces racism, leading to disillusionment. 1946-52: Studies psychiatry in France. 1952: Publishes Black Skin, White Masks on the psychology of racism. 1953: Appointed head psychiatrist at a hospital in Algeria. 1954: Algerian War of Independence begins, becoming a major turning point. 1956: Resigns in protest and joins the Algerian liberation movement (FLN). 1959: Publishes Studies in a Dying Colonialism. 1960: Appointed Ambassador to Ghana for the Algerian provisional government. 1961: Diagnosed with leukemia. Dictates The Wretched of the Earth. 1961 (Dec): Dies in the United States. His book is published posthumously.

5. 2. Education and Medical Career Early Education: Lycée Schoelcher in Martinique, where he was taught by the poet and philosopher Aimé Césaire. WWII Service: Fought with the Free French forces in Europe. Was wounded and received the Croix de guerre. Medical Training: Studied medicine and psychiatry at the University of Lyon, France. Professional Post: Served as Chef de service (Head of Department) at the Blida-Joinville Psychiatric Hospital in Algeria from 1953 to 1956. He implemented innovative, socially conscious therapies before resigning in protest against the colonial war. 3. Political and Revolutionary Activity Algerian War: Fanon secretly joined the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) in 1954/1955. Diplomatic Role: Served as an ambassador and propagandist for the FLN's provisional government, traveling extensively across Africa to build support for the Algerian cause. Journalism: Was a founding editor of the FLN's newspaper, El Moudjahid.

6. 1964 Toward the African Revolution (Pour la révolution africaine), 1964 (posthumous collection of political essays). 1961 The Wretched of the Earth (Les Damnés de la Terre), 1961 (with a preface by Jean-Paul Sartre). Focus: The psychology and politics of decolonization, the necessity of violence for liberation, and the challenges of building a national culture post-independence. 1959 Year V of the Algerian Revolution (L'An V de la révolution algérienne) , 1959 . (Later published as A Dying Colonialism). Focus: The transformative social and cultural changes occurring within Algerian society during the revolution. Black Skin, White Masks (Peau noire, masques blancs). Focus: The psychological effects of racism and colonialism on Black people, analyzing internalized inferiority and the trauma of being perceived as "Other." 1952 4.Key Publications

7. 5. Core Theoretical Contributions Colonialism as a Pathological System: Argued that colonialism is not just a political structure but a psychological one that requires the dehumanization of the colonized, leading to mental illness in both groups. Violence and Decolonization: Famously argued that violent struggle is a necessary and cathartic process for the colonized to reclaim their humanity and break the absolute power of the colonizer. This is his most controversial thesis. The "New Humanism": Envisioned a post-colonial future that would move beyond the corrupt models of European humanism to create a new, more inclusive concept of humanity. National Consciousness: Warned of the dangers of the post-colonial national bourgeoisie becoming a self-serving class that would exploit the people, leading to a "false decolonization." 6. Legacy and Influence Foundational Text: The Wretched of the Earth became the seminal text for liberation movements across Africa, Latin America, the United States (Black Panther Party), and Asia. Academic Fields: His work is foundational in Postcolonial Studies, Critical Race Theory, and African Studies. Enduring Relevance: His analyses of racism, violence, and the psychology of power continue to be referenced in contemporary discussions about systemic inequality and social justice.

8. Introduction: Frantz Fanon's Les Damnés de la Terre (The Wretched of the Earth) Author: Frantz Fanon (1925-1961), a psychiatrist, philosopher, and revolutionary from Martinique. Original French Title: Les Damnés de la Terre . The title is a direct reference to the opening lines of "The Internationale," the famous socialist anthem: "Debout, les damnés de la terre!" ("Arise, ye wretched of the earth!"). This immediately frames the book within a global revolutionary context. Historical Moment: Written during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962), in which Fanon was an active member of the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN). Publication Date: 1961, published by Éditions Maspero, with a famous and controversial preface by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Critical Detail: Fanon was dying of leukemia while writing it; he completed the manuscript just before his death in December 1961.

9. 1. The Collective Archetypes (Social Classes) These groups represent the key actors in the drama of decolonization. The Colonized Role: The oppressed masses. They are the subject of the book and the "wretched of the earth." Key Trait: Experience a "zone of non-being," living in a state of psychological and physical inferiority imposed by the colonizer. Their journey is towards liberation through revolutionary action. The Colonists/Colonialists Role: The oppressor. They represent the violent, maintaining force of the colonial system. Key Trait: Their existence depends on the subjugation of the colonized. They are depicted as inherently violent to maintain the "Manichean world" (the absolute separation between colonizer and colonized). The National Bourgeoisie (The Urban Proletariat) Role: The educated, Westernized middle class of the colonized society. Key Trait: Fanon's primary warning. After independence, this class is prone to replacing the colonizer without changing the exploitative system, becoming a "useless" and predatory comprador bourgeoisie. They lack revolutionary ideology. Characters in The Wretched of the Earth

10. The Peasant Masses Role: The largest social class; the rural population. Key Trait: Fanon sees them as the most genuinely revolutionary force because they are least assimilated into colonial culture and have the most to gain from a total overthrow of the system. The Lumpenproletariat Role: The urban underclass (criminals, unemployed, prostitutes). Key Trait: A potentially volatile force. The colonizer sees them as a threat to security. Fanon argues that through revolutionary discipline, they can be transformed into a vital part of the liberation movement. 2. The Case Studies (Individual Patients) These specific patients from Fanon's psychiatric practice serve as clinical evidence for his theories. The Young Frenchwoman Significance: Demonstrates the psychological toll of colonial violence on the colonizer. Her anxiety after her father's death shows the system's instability and fear. Characters in The Wretched of the Earth

11. The Algerian Man Significance: Illustrates the injustice of the colonial system. His arrest for a crime during a psychotic break shows how the colonized are dehumanized and presumed guilty. The 13 and 14-year-old Algerian Boys Significance: Symbolize how the conflict corrupts youth and normalizes violence. Their murder of a European friend shows the internalization of the colonial war's "us vs. them" mentality. R (The European Police Officer who tortures) Significance: A powerful example of how the act of torturing dehumanizes the torturer. His domestic violence shows how colonial violence spills over and corrupts all relationships. A (The European Police Officer guilt-ridden over torture) Significance: Represents a crisis of conscience within the colonial apparatus. His depression and guilt highlight the moral bankruptcy of the system, even for those enforcing it. Characters in The Wretched of the Earth

12. B (The Algerian man whose wife was raped) Significance: Shows the deep psychological trauma of colonial violence on the colonized. His impotence and insomnia are somatic manifestations of the emasculation and powerlessness inflicted by the colonizer. S (The Algerian villager drawn into the war) Significance: Exemplifies how the war radicalizes the apathetic. His descent into violence after a French ambush shows that colonial violence inevitably breeds revolutionary violence. D (The Algerian who kills a European woman) Significance: Illustrates the psychological weight of committing revolutionary acts. His subsequent sleepwalking suggests a subconscious struggle with his actions, adding complexity to Fanon's thesis on violence. Characters in The Wretched of the Earth

13. Preface to The Wretched of the Earth (Jean-Paul Sartre, 1961) Colonial Divide: There are two groups: Europeans (500 million) who possess power and culture, and the colonized people (1.5 billion) who are treated as less than human. Failed Assimilation: The colonizers attempted to create a native elite that would imitate European ways, but this effort failed. The "elite" merely pretended to be European, without any true transformation. Rejection of Mimicry: A new generation of colonized people stopped imitating Europeans and began to reject European ideas, denouncing them as false and cr u el.

14. Preface to The Wretched of the Earth (Jean-Paul Sartre, 1961) Fanon’s Radical Shift: In 1961, Fanon’s views took a more radical turn. He stopped seeking Europe’s approval and instead called on the colonized to fight for their own liberation. He believed Europe was in decline, and that the time had come for the oppressed to seize their freedom. Revolutionary Violence: Fanon argued that decolonization could only occur through violence—not out of a desire for revenge, but as a means for the colonized to reclaim their humanity. Sartre backs this notion, stating that this violence is a necessary response to the systemic violence the colonized people have endured. Sartre’s Message to Europeans: Sartre calls on Europeans to read Fanon’s work, not out of pity for the colonized, but to grasp how colonialism has shaped their own lives. He emphasizes that both the colonizer and the colonized must confront the reality of their shared history.

15. Aspect Coloniser Colonised Definition European powers that occupy and rule other countries People/nations under coloniser’s control Main Work / Role - Rule and govern colonies - Exploit land, resources, and labour - Spread their language, culture, and religion - Maintain power through army, police, and laws - Provide labour for plantations, mines, and industries - Pay taxes and obey colonial laws - Serve as soldiers - Accept imposed culture, religion, and education Examples of Countries Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria, Vietnam, Senegal, Congo, Philippines, Angola, Mozambique, Indonesia, Libya, Eritrea, Somalia What is The White Man’s Burden ? Rudyard Kipling (1899).

16. Aspect Coloniser Colonised Economic Role Exploit natural resources, control trade, profit from colonies Work in mines, farms, industries; pay taxes; little or no control over economy Political Power Full control over government and laws No political power; restricted rights Social/Cultural Role Impose own language, religion, education Cultural suppression; forced adoption of coloniser’s ways Resistance Maintain dominance, suppress revolts May resist through protests, uprisings, or revolutions

17. Important words Colonialism Decolonization Alienation Mimicry The Wretched Bourgeoisie True liberation Manichaeism Neurosis Cultural Combat Subaltern Hegemony Self-Determination Peasantry/ Lumpen-proletariat

18. Chapter 1: “On Violence” Fanon begins by stating that decolonization is always violent, because colonialism itself was established and sustained through brute force, guns, tanks, and repression. He describes the colonial world as a “Manichaean” structure: divided into settler zones (clean, wealthy, protected) and native zones (dirty, poor, illiterate, heavily policed). Colonizers define the native as subhuman, evil, and dangerous, so the colonized internalize this degradation, living with constant tension and anticipation of violence. For Fanon, only violent revolution can shatter colonial domination, because violence restores dignity, unity, and agency to the oppressed

19. Chapter 2: “Grandeur and Weakness of Spontaneity” Fanon analyzes the initial uprisings of colonized people, often unplanned and emotional, driven by immediate suffering under colonial rule. Strength: spontaneity reflects genuine revolutionary energy, showing that people recognize their oppression and are willing to resist. Weakness: without leadership, ideology, or clear goals, spontaneous revolts tend to burn out, collapse under colonial repression, or fail to build long-term liberation. Fanon insists that organization and political direction are essential to transform spontaneous rebellion into sustainable independence.

20. Chapter 3: “The Trials and Tribulations of National Consciousness” After independence, the national bourgeoisie (colonized elites, intellectuals, Westernized professionals) often replace the colonizers as rulers. This new class, tied to Western lifestyles and values, uses its power to exploit the masses, continuing the legacy of colonial oppression under neocolonialism. The result is often single-party dictatorships, economic stagnation, corruption, and ethnic or religious tensions. Fanon argues that true independence requires decentralizing power to the peasant masses, who are the backbone of the nation and can prevent elite domination

21. Chapter 4: “On National Culture” Colonized intellectuals try to reclaim dignity by romanticizing pre-colonial traditions and pan-African “Negro culture.” Fanon critiques this: culture is not static or simply revived from the past; it must be born out of national struggle and the lived experience of resistance. He warns against collapsing all African or diasporic experiences into one; instead, each nation must forge its culture through its own liberation struggle. Examples include oral traditions, songs, and storytelling that gain new meaning when tied to revolutionary action

22. Chapter 5: “Colonial War and Mental Disorders” Drawing from his psychiatric work during the Algerian War, Fanon examines the psychological consequences of colonial violence on both colonized and colonizers. Case studies reveal widespread trauma: depression, anxiety, psychosis, violent outbursts, and psychosomatic disorders caused by torture, internment, and daily brutality. He rejects colonial racist theories that blamed Algerians’ “criminality” on biology, showing instead that it is the product of systemic colonial oppression. Fanon highlights that the struggle for freedom must also involve psychological healing and rebuilding of dignity.

23. Chapter Title Key Focus 1 On Violence Decolonization is necessarily violent; colonial world divided into settler vs native zones. 2 Spontaneity Spontaneous revolt shows passion but fails without organization. 3 National Consciousness National bourgeoisie threatens to replace colonizers; peasants must lead true liberation. 4 National Culture Culture arises from struggle and resistance, not just revival of pre-colonial past. 5 Mental Disorders Colonialism causes severe psychological trauma; healing is part of decolonization.

24. Violence as a Necessary Catharsis: Decolonization is inherently violent because colonialism itself is sustained by violence. This struggle is not just political but psychological, releasing generations of oppressed tension. Example: Fanon describes native dances as a "muscular orgy" that channels built-up aggression, which must later be directed outward to destroy the colonial regime. The True Revolutionary Class: The real agents of change are not the Westernized middle class, but the dispossessed—the peasants and the urban lumpenproletariat (the unemployed, petty criminals). Example: The "starving peasant," with nothing to lose, is the first to discover that "only violence pays," while the bourgeois nationalist seeks compromise. Thematic Study

25. The Betrayal of the National Bourgeoisie: After independence, the new native ruling class often becomes a proxy for foreign interests, mimicking the colonizers and betraying the revolution. Example: Instead of developing the nation, this elite creates a "brothel of Europe" by focusing on tourism and personal luxury, neglecting the interior. Culture as a Weapon: Liberation requires reclaiming a pre-colonial cultural identity and using it to forge a new national consciousness. Example: Native intellectuals move from assimilating Western culture to a "fighting phase," creating revolutionary literature to awaken the people. A Call for Global Justice: True liberation demands a radical restructuring of the world order, as Europe's wealth is built on resources stolen from the colonized. Example: Fanon asserts that "Europe is literally the creation of the Third World," arguing for reparations and a redistribution of global wealth, not just political independence.

26. Conclusion In The Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon exposes the brutal realities of colonialism and argues that decolonization is inherently a violent process, necessary to reclaim freedom, identity, and self-determination. He highlights the deep psychological, cultural, and economic impact of colonial domination on the colonised, while critiquing the false moral justifications of the coloniser. Ultimately, Fanon calls for the empowerment of the oppressed and a radical restructuring of society to overcome the legacy of colonialism and build a truly liberated nation.

27. References Burke, Edmund. “Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth.” Daedalus, vol. 105, no. 1, 1976, pp. 127–35. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20024388 Collins, Michael. “Nation, State and Agency: Evolving Historiographies of African Decolonization.” Britain, France and the Decolonization of Africa: Future Imperfect?, edited by Andrew W.M. Smith and Chris Jeppesen, UCL Press, 2017, pp. 17–42. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1mtz521.6 Course Hero. The Wretched of the Earth Study Guide. Course Hero, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Wretched-of-the-Earth/summaries / Davis, Dale W., et al. “A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature.” The South Central Bulletin, vol. 39, no. 3, Jan. 1979, p. 115. https://doi.org/10.2307/3252421 Dwyer, Philip, and Amanda Nettelbeck. Violence, Colonialism and Empire in the Modern World. Springer eBooks, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62923-0

28. Fairchild, Halford H. “Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth in Contemporary Perspective.” Journal of Black Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 1994, pp. 191–99. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2784461 GradeSaver. “The Wretched of the Earth Chapter 1, ‘On Violence’ Summary and Analysis.” GradeSaver, 21 Nov. 2024, https://www.gradesaver.com/the-wretched-of-the-earth/study-guide/summary-chapter-1-on-violence Jcoleman, and Jcoleman. “What Is News?” Pew Research Center, 13 Aug. 2025, www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2025/05/13/what-is-news Liverpool University Press. Colonial Violence | Colonial Violence | Liverpool University Press Digital Collaboration Hub. liverpooluniversitypress.manifoldapp.org/read/colonial-violence/section/71c632a8-6ae0-4de5-8c42-f4cca41f45d8 . Sartre, Jean-Paul. “Preface.” In Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth, 1961. Marxists Internet Archive, https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sartre/1961/preface.htm

29. Thank you !