I found the essay “Black Skins, White Masks” rather interesting. This essay does a good job of showing that people don’t really know who they are, or aren’t willing to accept themselves the way the were made or the way they truly are. This shows that people are willing to change who they are, their values and beliefs to try to fit in with the greater part of the world. “Black Skins, White Masks” can go beyond just a certain type of person and really relate to everyone in the world.
At some point in time, everyone is wearing a mask, hiding who they really are. Whether its trying to impression a new group of friends, trying to get into school, or interviewing for a job or higher position, a person is always claiming or pretending to be something more then they really are.
This wearing of the mask can also be seen not just has hiding from an identity, but showing a new identity by demonstrating what one person hopes to become, or the type of people they are trying to fit into. This piece works very well with identity because it shows how people can and will try to adapt their identity to fit into a new country, culture, or group of people.
“Black Skins, White Masks”, makes a very strong point in the opening of the piece when the author writes that the more a black person assimilates to the French culture, the whiter he becomes and therefore the closer to a human he becomes. This statement really shows how humans have a hard time identifying with people are are different than them and that people on the “outside” of our cultures and beliefs can be like “aliens”. This piece does a good job of showing how different identities can be feared and how people would be willing to give up one identity for another to be accepted rather than having to spend their whole time feeling like an outsider.