ian educator and influential theorist of critical pedagogy
.
Freire was born September 19, 1921 to a middle class
family in Recife
, Pernambuco
. Freire became familiar with poverty and hunger during the Great Depression
of the 1930s. In 1931 the family moved to the less expensive city of Jaboatão dos Guararapes
, and in 1933 his father died. In school he ended up four grades behind, and his social life revolved around playing pick up football with other poor children, from whom he learned a great deal.
"Indeed, the interests of the oppressors lie in 'changing the consciousness of the oppressed, not the situation which oppresses them';"
"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."
"The oppressed, instead of striving for liberation, tend themselves to become oppressors"
"They have no consciousness of themselves as persons or as members of an oppressed class."
"The oppressed find in the oppressors their model of 'manhood.'"
"The behavior of the oppressed is a prescribed behavior, following as it does the guidelines of the oppressor."
"The oppressor, who is himself dehumanized because he dehumanizes others, is unable to lead this struggle."
"This book will present some aspects of what the writer has termed the pedagogy of the oppressed, a pedagogy which must be forged with, not for, the oppressed (whether individuals or peoples) in the incessant struggle to regain their humanity."
"How can the oppressed, as divided unauthentic beings, participate in the pedagogy of their liberation?"
"As long as they live in the duality in which to be is to to be like, and to be like is to be like the oppressor, this contribution is impossible."