Paulo Friere. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Pages 5-23.

Adam Mamawala

10/8/07

WGS 220-05

Description:

· Oppressed people frequently allow themselves to contribute to the oppression under which they suffer. Because they do not know any other way of living, the oppressed become resigned to accepting the dehumanization they have become accustomed to.

Analysis:

· Having been downtrodden for so long, the oppressed often feel that the struggle for freedom would not be worth running the risks required to rebel. They also believe that without the full support of their oppressed comrades, any attempt at change would be futile (p.8).

· Even after victory is ensured, it takes a rare person to come from a life of oppression and not become a bigger oppressor than the one under whom they served. The newfound power and freedom can cause an otherwise docile person to become a tyrant (p.7).

· Liberation is a long, arduous, and painful process, that even once ensured requires a profound rebirth for the formerly oppressed. Those who undergo the transformation from being oppressed to living in a world of fairness and opportunity must inevitably change who they were (p.17).

Vision:

· In order to succeed in no longer being oppressed, one must understand the commitment it takes and the process that must be completed. In addition, the oppressed must be sure not to become oppressors if they succeed in liberating themselves (p.20).

Strategy:

· The oppressed must witness the vulnerability of the oppressor in order to maintain some level of hope. Though they will continue to be fearful and abused by their oppressor, they can little by little attempt forms of rebellion. Throughout the entire process, the oppressed must see themselves as men engaged in an attempt to become more human. The leaders of the revolution must understand that their personal reasons for the necessity of struggle were created by no one other than themselves, and as such, are authentic. In the beginning, they had their own personal reasons to want change, and they must keep these reasons paramount in their minds.