Telephonic Conversation - Wole Soyinka

Telephonic Conversation

       Wole Soyinka

The title itself suggests that it’s about the conversation between a white lady and an African American man. It is the spots light that Wole Soyinka throws. Wole Soyinka throws harsh light on the racism and prejudice which grips society.

 An African American man searching for house and he agree with one land lady. But something happened with his past or maybe humiliated by white because of his identity so in advanced he clarifies his identity that he is an African man.

“But self confession. ‘Madam’, I warned, ‘I hate a wasted journey – I am African”.

After hearing this land lady more curious about the identity of that man and she ask various questions like:

“HOW DARK?... I had not misheard… ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?”

Before this there was long silence and black man can pressurize good-breeding, voice, when it came. All the lines like:

“Lip-stick coated, long gold rolled cigarette-holder pipped.”

Symbolized the richness of that lady. She is from upper class family. Afterward asking such questions maybe she wants to felt to black man a shame on his color or identity that he has. In a way it is the habit of white to mock on black color or identity through asking questions like this or through laughing. They got snick pleasure from doing such things. It can be read in psychological context also of that lady.

Wole Soyinka also puts very good imaginary such as:

“Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered”

It shows the reaction of blackman that he shows everywhere red or in a way it’s his reaction of anger against that lady who asked such dangerous questions.

The lady is very positively present herself. It shows that she wants to overcome to that Blackman because she judges an African American man through his skin color. How ridiculous it that one should go through the book cover instead of what is inside in the book? Same thing happen here that lady judge that man with color not through his personality or humanity.

There is one word in the poem is “Self-Confession”. It shows that one cannot control over the color of skin. It is not in the hand of person to change color. Moreover it is more ridiculous to shame over the skin color. Soyinka here mock on them who are shame on their own personality or identity just because it is not like by other. Likewise Wole Soyinka criticizes the society where the people like the lady live who are full of prejudices and tries to convince themselves as a good or superior one than the “other”.

So, at the end speaker of this poem criticized that lady that first you look at yourself that “how ugly you are”.

“Madam, I pleaded, wouldn’t you rather see for yourself?”

No, doubt that African is black from their skin but conscience of them is white while white people are white by the skin but consciences of them are black. So, Fanon wrote-

“Black Skin, White Mask”.