IndexIntroductionAuthorSummaryCritical AnalysisOrganizationPurposeSolutionsLanguage and ImageryReactionWhat ResonatedNew InformationApplication to LifeConclusionIntroductionPedagogy of the Oppressed is a non-fiction political philosophy book written by Paulo Freire that addresses concepts, ideas, and theories as they relate to educational pedagogy. Published initially in Portuguese and later in English, the book addresses the sources of oppression, identifies keys to liberation, and proposes theories for modern education reform. Freire's approach to the concepts of education, the relationship between student and teacher and between the oppressor and the oppressed, to liberation and gaining freedom, and oppressive techniques can be personally applied to everyday life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayAuthorDue to his upbringing and beliefs, Paulo Freire's experiences contributed to the writing of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Freire states that the contents of the book are the result of observations made during his six years of political exile. His ability to relate to the oppressed and have oppressed citizens find understanding in his writings is mutually beneficial to both parties. For much of his adult life, Freire devoted himself to the welfare of the poor. He was even imprisoned for teaching Brazilian peasants to read. Freire's experiences of poverty led him to have differing opinions about class. “It is the realization of such class boundaries that led, invariably, to Freire's radical rejection of a class-based society” (Macedo, 2000, p. 13). His ideas about class and oppressive factors altered his perspective, which led him to see situations and write more openly and universally. Summary Many ideas were presented in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The text begins by illustrating why there is even a need for a pedagogy of the oppressed. It explains where oppression comes from, the “contradiction” between the oppressor and the oppressed, and how liberation is a mutual process between the oppressor and the oppressed rather than a personal achievement accomplished exclusively by the oppressed. The book continues by evaluating the dynamics of the teacher-student relationship and introducing the idea of ​​the concept of "banking" as a form of oppression towards education. This concept forms the basis for the educated teacher to convey a narrative to his untutored, patient and docile students. Rather than building on the student's prior knowledge and experiences, the teacher fills in or deposits information and knowledge for the student to memorize without truly perceiving it. The text then establishes the concept of dialogue, the use of education as an instrument of freedom. Freire explains that dialogue is necessary in the process of liberation. The text concludes with a synthesis of the opposing theories of cultural action, or oppressive techniques. Critical Analysis Organization The material presented in Pedagogy of the Oppressed is organized into four sections. The sections thoroughly explain the main concept presented and expand on the central idea with supporting evidence. Freire organizes the information coherently in a way that makes it easy for the reader to connect the different points he is making. The argument presented is pertinent to the old saying: “Knowledge is power.” Freire formulates the idea that in order for the oppressed to fully achieve liberation, they must be educated and that through reading liberation can be achieved. He states: “Knowledge emerges only through invention andreinvention, through the restless, impatient, continuous, and hopeful inquiry that human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other” (Friere, 2000, p. 72). Freire's description of attaining knowledge to achieve liberation is associated with the idea of ​​developing a critical consciousness. Critical consciousness, also known as liberatory consciousness, involves awareness of oppression in society and the knowledge needed to create social justice. “With a liberatory consciousness, each person has the opportunity to theorize issues of equity and social justice, to analyze events related to equity and social justice, and to act responsibly to transform society” (Love, 2000, 602). Freire incorporates these ideas throughout his text. Purpose It appears that the text had two purposes: to inform and to persuade. Freire seems to want to inform his audience about why oppression will always remain relevant, where it comes from, how a group of people can begin the process of truly liberating themselves, the different oppressive techniques and how they relate to past and modern societies, and how banking concept affects all people. However, he convinces his audience with his ideas on how these topics can be addressed and the problems of different societies can be solved. Freire provides a series of well-thought-out arguments and suggestions for reform. One of the arguments he makes, his ideas regarding the concept of banking in education, are pertinent to the discussion of both modern and obsolete forms of education. Freire notes: “Narration (with the teacher as narrator) leads students to mechanically memorize the narrated content. What's worse, it transforms them into "containers", into "vessels" to be "filled" by the teacher. The more completely she fills the vessels, the better a teacher she is. The more docilely the containers are allowed to be filled, the better the students are” (Freire, 2000, p. 72). This topic can resonate with both students and teachers, as both parties contribute equally to education. In his statements, Freire made it quite easy to spot the flaws of educational systems that use ineffective forms of learning. His statement also highlights a power struggle between student and teacher: a struggle that leaves the teacher demanding to remain in power over their students and the student fighting the teacher to control their creativity and have a voice in their education . This topic is useful in explaining the role of oppression in a context that most people in the modern world have faced at one time or another. Many of the arguments presented in the text provide the reader with a better understanding of Freire's logic. None of the arguments or evidence presented seemed to deviate from the topics addressed or appeared ineffective in helping the reader perceive his reasoning. SolutionsFreire offers in-text solutions to the many problems he addresses. He explained the solution to achieving the liberation of the oppressed by stating that “the solution cannot be achieved in idealistic terms” (Freire, 2000, p. 49). It illustrates that liberation can be significantly altered by the vision of liberation and the perception of an oppressive state. Viewing oppression as endless, the oppressed said they accepted their position of not being completely equal to their oppressor. By viewing oppression as a situation that cannot be transformed overnight but over time, the oppressor accepts that he may not have equality immediately but that he will eventually have it. It is suggested that Freire's intended audience is for all people, but more exclusively foroppressed. Freire explicitly dedicates the book «to the oppressed and to those who suffer with them and fight alongside them. By writing in a way that acknowledges the sources of oppression, Freire's text seems to aim for understanding both the oppressed, who can use the identification of these sources to achieve liberation, and the oppressor, who through reading the text can identify the sources of oppression. error of their ways. Language and Imagery The language Freire used in the book seemed to be more advanced. The language appearing more advanced could simply be related to the fact that its concepts were advanced. Perhaps Pedagogy of the Oppressed could possibly be better understood by someone more knowledgeable on the subject. The book was not the type of book that focused on characters, a plot, a setting, or even forms of displaying imagery, but minimal examples of imagery were present in passages where Freire was trying to simplify his concepts. One of the main topics of the book focuses exclusively on education. While the concept of banking education always remains relevant, Freire also proposes the concept of problematicity in accordance with education. He explains that the way to combat banking education is through problem-solving education. Through dialogue and open discussion, “the teacher-of-the-students and the students-of-the-teacher cease to exist and a new term emerges: teacher-students and student-teachers” (Freire, 2000, p. 80). . This concept questions the very relationship that students and teachers have with each other and highlights the difference in how students and teachers are expected to interact. Reaction My initial reaction to the book was that the language was very difficult to interpret upon first reading. I had to reread sections and think about what was being said to truly understand the book. I remember feeling that I could relate situations in my personal life to the things experienced by the oppressed in the text described. I also remember feeling angry and considering how unfair it was that our society has a history of oppressing many groups of people based on factors such as class, race, religion and gender, but although progress has been made, the same people they continue to be oppressed to this day. What Resonated Throughout the book, I could resonate with the oppressor side but also with the things addressed about the education system. I was surprised to find that once I looked at education differently than I had always seen it, I was able to see some errors in the system and how some teachers I had previously taught in accordance with the banking concept. However, the text made me appreciate the teachers I had, who truly invested their time and dedication in my learning and taught in accordance with the concept of problem posing. While reading the book, I felt a variety of different emotions. I felt angry at the behavior and tendencies of the oppressor, I felt sympathetic towards the side of the oppressed, and I felt pessimistic about the future of the oppressed around the world. Surprisingly enough, towards the end of the book I began to take on a more hopeful perspective. I began to feel a little inspired. Reading Pedagogy of the Oppressed made me realize that if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. I realized immediately after reading that if you take on the role of spectator of oppression and don't use your voice to fight for liberation, you are on the side of the oppressor. New Information The information about oppression presented in the book was not entirely foreign to me. I knew.