Double Consciousness and Triple Person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Double Consciousness and Triple Person - Essay Example The author also defines an internal identity as the real authentic self. This identity is defined by the black man’s inner and outer characteristics. It is the way the Negro truly should be; a powerful force of nature; an element that has defied the odds and lived on in a hostile society. This black man is a human being capable of dreaming, achieving and maximising his potential. Finally, and most importantly, Fanon’s third person must contend with the external identity. This is defined by the person’s race; it is the most predominant of all. The black man’s race is all the world sees, yet society insists on judging him according to its own standards. Fanon believes that accepting only the Negro or race identity is tantamount to being amputated. It rips off all other elements of his being and leaves him frustrated. The white man appears to call the shots in this society. He defines who the black man can and cannot be. Fanon bemoans the fact that this identity is branded onto black people as soon as they are born. They eventually realise that they are objects of others’ gazes. In one line he quotes the assertions of a white child: â€Å"Mama see the Negro! I’m frightened.†. The white gaze is indeed a primary component of the black man’s existence. Dubois also defined the black man’s identity through a double consciousness. This refers to two aspects of the Negro’s existence – that of being an American citizen and that of being a Negro.