About Me
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Fanon #2
In this next section of Fanon, we are suddenly transported to Africa as the revolutionary leader Frantz Fanon tries to find a legendary trade route in Mali. This excursion is one with a purpose, albeit one with long odds but he is willing to take a chance and fight sticking to the orthodox methods. Fanon's goal is to find a way to strike "one quick blow (that) could sever the Gordian knot of bloody struggle with the French" (37). Fanon's strategy to help gain Algerian independence is one that makes little sense to his commanding officer, but he is confident in his idea and presses on despite setbacks. The ancient trading route that Fanon seeks seems long lost at best but this only strengthens his convictions that his path to Ethiopia to find allies is the best hope for Algeria. Fanon, or rather Thomas writing as Fanon, says "Doesn't the invisibility of ancient passage prove his point, strengthen his arguement. You can see the path only if you're on the ground, only if you shape-shift and become a lizard crawling over the rocks" (38). In Fanon's mind, the mere fact that this trading route is unclear to anyone proves that they're on the right track, that by being lost will be the way they find their way.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
This book seems very intriguing. I have never heard of it and by the description it kind of makes me feel like something we would learn in world history! However, much more interesting. The character of Fanon seems very hard-headed and intelligent I look forward to seeing him develop.
This sounds like a really, really confusing book. I went back and read your first post on it and am still pretty lost. Other than that, it sounds like a nice change from your normal straighforward 1st or 2nd person story. Fanon sounds like a person with some weird logic, which would make Thomas kind of strange as well. I wonder what kind of person the actual author-author is.
Post a Comment