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Paulo Freire
The oppressor is an important part of Freire’s conception of oppression. For Freire, the oppressor holds power over the oppressed and actively prevents them from having freedom. Oppressors rely on a permanent and unequal social system to keep their power and they manipulate the views of oppressed people to make the oppressed invested in a system that keeps them down. However, oppressors also deny themselves freedom in the process of denying others, which makes them unable to become free. Therefore, oppressed people must liberate oppressors in order to make society free.
The Oppressor Quotes in Pedagogy of the Oppressed
The Pedagogy of the Oppressed quotes below are all either spoken by The Oppressor or refer to The Oppressor. 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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Preface Quotes
This volume will probably arouse negative reactions in a number of readers. Some will regard my position vis-à-vis the problem of human liberation as purely idealistic… Others will not (or will not wish to) accept my denunciation of a state of oppression that gratifies the oppressors. Accordingly, this admittedly tentative work is for radicals.
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After grounding his book in the experiences of the oppressed, Freire addresses his potential audience. He admits that many people might not agree with his broad critique of Western society as oppressive, and that some people might find his hope for liberation unrealistic. However, Freire does not see this as a flaw in his argument, but rather as a flaw in readers who will not critically engage with his ideology—even if they disagree. Ideally, Freire believes, the readers who stay with his work through the end will be open to the idea that lasting social change (and liberation for all Dolorem et quae. Exer
Chapter 1 Quotes
This, then, is the great humanistic and historical task of the oppressed: to liberate themselves and their oppressors as well. The oppressors, who oppress, exploit, and rape by virtue of their power, cannot find in this power the strength to liberate either the oppressed or themselves.
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Freire says that the fight for liberation is only meaningful if oppressed people do not try to oppress others in the process. From there, he asserts that oppressed people must liberate themselves and their oppressors at the same time. The problem is not oppressors by themselves, but rather the oppressive political system that places everyone into a violent hierarchy: according to Freire, oppressors dehumanize themselves when they dehumanize other people. To liberate everyone, oppressed people and their leaders must create a new society in which no oppression exists—not only by removing the oppressors’ power, but by changing the institutions that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non
Liberation is thus a childbirth, and a painful one. The man or woman who emerges is a new person, viable only as the oppressor-oppressed contradiction is superseded by the humanization of all people. Or to put it another way, the solution of this contradiction is born in the labor which brings into the world this new being: no longer oppressor, no longer oppressed, but human in the process of achieving freedom.
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Before describing liberation as a kind of “childbirth,” Freire integrates education into his argument: how can education work as a tool for oppressed people to reach freedom and humanization? Freire argues that education can help people realize where they fit into the oppressive system that much of the world depends on. In the process of liberation, oppressed people and oppressors can abandon those roles that previously defined their lives—and begin, by contrast, to define themselves on their own terms. This argument is also very dialectical: Freire argues that liberation resolves the differences between oppressors and oppressed people by giving both Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dol
Any situation in which “A” objectively exploits “B” or hinders his and her pursuit of self-affirmation as a responsible person is one of oppression. Such a situation in itself constitutes violence, even when sweetened by false generosity, because it interferes with the individual’s ontological and historical vocation to be more fully human.
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Freire points out that oppression shapes the consciousnesses of both oppressors and oppressed people, then he specifically defines oppression for the first time in this quote. For Freire, oppression is anything that keeps people from being humanized—it interrupts their natural desire to affirm themselves as human beings. Because oppression affects this key aspect of humanity, it is also an act of violence against others. Freire also criticizes what he calls the “false generosity” of people who claim to help the oppressed through charity, but who rely on a higher social status to do so: they, too, commit violence because they Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non.
Chapter 2 Quotes
Indeed, the interests of the oppressors lie in “changing the consciousness of the oppressed, not the situation which oppresses them”; for the more the oppressed can be led to adapt to that situation, the more easily they can be dominated.
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Because the “banking” concept serves the interests of oppressors, Freire says that it also shapes the consciousness of its students in distinct ways. Oppressors want to change how the oppressed think about the world, so that they see oppression as a normal and permanent part of their lives. In this context, traditional Western classrooms help their students adapt to an oppressive society, instead of pointing out that their society is flawed and can be changed. As long as the oppressed try to adapt, the oppressors have no pressure to release their power—thus, Freire demonstrates here how education can serve as Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non
Problem-posing education does not and cannot serve the interests of the oppressor. No oppressive order could permit the oppressed to begin to question: Why?
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Freire points out what a “problem-posing” pedagogy should accomplish, and ultimately argues that it can only be designed to help oppressed people achieve liberation. Because problem-posing enables oppressed people to critically understand their oppression, it is a threat to the power of the oppressors—because oppressors do not want oppressed people to question their conditions. As Freire notes in Chapter 4, oppressors can use manipulation tactics to silence or appease the oppressed when they first become aware of society’s inequality. But a problem-posing education helps the oppressed understand that the oppressors have no interest in relinquishing their power (which is one Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut.
Chapter 4 Quotes
Prior to the emergence of the people there is no manipulation (precisely speaking), but rather total suppression. When the oppressed are almost completely submerged in reality, it is unnecessary to manipulate them. In the antidialogical theory of action, manipulation is the response of the oppressor to the new concrete conditions of the historical process.
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Freire defines manipulation as a method oppressors use to prevent the oppressed from resisting, a kind of “anti-dialogical” cultural action. However, according to Freire, oppressors mainly use manipulation as a reaction rather than a preventative measure. If the oppressed are not aware that they are being oppressed, then the oppressors do not have to mislead them. They are much more likely to use manipulation when oppressed people begin to realize that their conditions are unfair. Freire suggests that oppressors do this through deceitful myths about how society works, and through formal agreements (or pacts) that do not hold the oppressors Dolorem et qu
In cultural invasion it is essential that those who are invaded come to see their reality with the outlook of the invaders rather than their own; for the more they mimic the invaders, the more stable the position of the latter becomes.
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A key aspect of Freire’s cultural action theory is cultural invasion, a tactic that oppressors use to gain and preserve power. Cultural invasion is less tangible than other forms of oppressive action (like conquest or manipulation), because it involves oppressors imposing their worldview onto the oppressed. When cultural invasion occurs, the oppressed begin to see the invaders’ culture as superior and as an example to be followed. This benefits the oppressors because it makes their culture more stable, while oppressed people have to change their culture and beliefs to fit the oppressive system. This discussion recalls Freire’s assertion in Chapter Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidu
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The Oppressor Character Timeline in Pedagogy of the Oppressed
The timeline below shows where the character The Oppressor appears in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...of this, the most important task of oppressed people is to liberate themselves (and their oppressors) from an unjust system. When oppressors appear to help oppressed people, Freire argues that they...
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...Beginning the struggle for liberation in this way is difficult, for both oppressed people and oppressors who become aware of their problematic role in society. But Freire argues that the concrete...
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...the world. When only one occurs, true liberation is not possible. Freire points out that oppressors use a variety of techniques to dissuade oppressed people from critical reflection: if oppressed people...
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...oppressed, for Freire, is designed to help people regain their humanity. A pedagogy led by oppressors, like traditional Western education, cannot truly help oppressed people because it is a product of...
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A key part of the first stage of Freire’s pedagogy involves understanding the consciousnesses of oppressors and oppressed people, and especially the inner conflicts of oppressed people. Freire defines oppression as...
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Freire then examines the oppressor consciousness in greater detail. More than anything, oppressors prioritize “their right to live in peace”—but...
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...confidence and conviction when they learn about the causes of oppression, and see that their oppressors can be vulnerable. A key part of liberation is this movement from passive acceptance to...
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Chapter 2
...world as it is, instead of questioning it or trying to change it. This helps oppressors, who want to prevent oppressed people from understanding the true nature of oppression. Freire argues...
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Chapter 3
...world and create new ways of organizing society. This faith must take into account the oppressors’ efforts to prevent oppressed people from using that power. When done correctly, dialogue should lead...
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...who benefit from the situation, and others who are harmed by it. In this context, oppressors see the freedom of oppressed people as a limit to their power. According to Freire,...
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Chapter 4
Conquest. “Antidialogical action” is a way of changing culture that serves the interests of oppressors. The most important aspect of antidialogical action is conquest: oppressors try to control people and...
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Divide and Rule. Oppressors divide and isolate oppressed people to prevent them from organizing together for liberation. This creates...
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Manipulation. Oppressors use manipulation to control oppressed people and to prevent them from challenging the oppressors’ power....
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Cultural Invasion. In cultural invasion, oppressors impose their own values and beliefs onto an oppressed culture. Cultural invasion makes oppressed peoples’...
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...here, Freire discusses “dialogical action,” which is what revolutionary leaders should use to attack the oppressors’ antidialogical methods. Revolutionary leaders must have the support, dialogue, and trust of oppressed people to...
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Unity for Liberation. While oppressors see unity as dangerous, revolutionary leaders must seek unity in every part of the liberation...
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...they are acting out of love and faith in the oppressed. Freire points out that oppressors do organize themselves apart from the people, which is why revolutionary leaders must organize “themselves...
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...behind his cultural action theory: it is necessary to theorize methods for freedom because the oppressors need to theorize methods for domination. This theory of dialogical action is the direct result...
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