What is the author's tone in the book, Discourse on Colonialism?

Césaire’s tone ranges in this work from angry and dramatic to sarcastic and mocking, and finally to hopeful and prideful. In the first chapter, Césaire uses a number of strong adjectives to reveal the real character of Europe and European civilization—in contrast to the wholesome, spiritual and moral image it projects. Thus, Césaire says that Europe is “sick” (31), “decadent” (31), “dying” (31), “indefensible” (32), hypocritical, and “weak” (32).

When discussing the French theorists and academics, such as Roger Caillois and Octave Mannoni, Césaire’s tone turns more sarcastic and mocking. Discussing Reverend Tempels, Césaire is often mockingly praising and grateful, such as “What generosity, Father! And what zeal!” (58) and “Wonderful! Everybody gains: the big companies, the colonists, the government—everybody except the Bantu, naturally” (58). Via this rhetorical strategy, Césaire is able to criticize the French theorists for their expectation that they should be deified and thanked for their racist ideology.

In the final two paragraphs, the tone of Discourse on Colonialism changes towards something more optimistic and hopeful. The tone becomes prescriptive (explaining what should happen) as well as cautionary (what will happen if Europe does not learn from its mistakes).