A West Indian dialogue : Crossing the mangrove and the conversation between Maryse Condé and Frantz Fanon

This analysis focuses on Maryse Condé's novel Traversée de la mangrove, published in 1989. The book marks the international author's return to her native island of Guadeloupe. The text will attempt to shed light on the filial link between this work and Frantz Fanon's Peau noire, masques blancs, published in 1952. This work, a thesis that was rejected at the time, marked Fanon's entry into the post-colonial literary world. The magnitude of this work is still observed today, and a large number of studies highlighting its teachings attempt to demonstrate its impact on the way we think about the colonial world. Maryse Condé never concealed her interest in this author, who seems to have inspired her throughout her literary adventure. The main goal of our study is therefore to observe and highlight various aspects common to the two works. In other words, we compare the texts and analyse the influences of Fanonian thought on Maryse Condé's writing. However, the analysis cannot dwell on all the issues targeted by the authors, so we concentrate on developing a line of reasoning dealing with alienation from identity and the troubled relationship with colonial history.