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The Veil
Double consciousness is one of the most influential and enduring of Du Bois’ ideas, though he only mentions it explicitly a handful of times within The Souls of Black Folk. Double consciousness arises as a result of the Veil; forced to view themselves and the world through the white lens of racism, black people must then negotiate the interaction of this racist view with their own view of reality. Through this balancing act, a dual, contradictory consciousness emerges, one that feeds two opposing perspectives on the world to black people at once. Du Bois suggests that until African Americans can reconcile these two views and feel that there is no contradiction between being both black and American, they will be unable to achieve true progress, freedom, and peace.
Double Consciousness Quotes in The Souls of Black Folk
The The Souls of Black Folk quotes below all refer to the symbol of Double Consciousness. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 1
Quotes
It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness,––an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.
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Double Consciousness Symbol Timeline in The Souls of Black Folk
The timeline below shows where the symbol Double Consciousness appears in The Souls of Black Folk. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Of Our Spiritual Strivings
...are forced to view themselves through the hostile perspective of whites. Du Bois calls this “double-consciousness,” and suggests that it is both a burden and a kind of skill. Double-consciousness can...
(full context)
African American history has been shaped by the struggle to overcome the state of double consciousness . Du Bois emphasizes that this does not mean eradicating either the African or American...
(full context)
Chapter 10: Of the Faith of the Fathers
...by the constant presence of the Veil. This double life then gives rise to “ double thoughts and double ideals.” On the one hand, the intense suffering caused by racism turns religion...
(full context)
