Pedagogy of the Oppressed Literary Elements

Educational philosophical book

The book is written in the context of the criticism of oppression.

First-person narrative

The tone is enlightening, and the mood is intriguing and informative.

The protagonist of the book is oppressed, while the antagonist is the oppressor.

The main conflict is that the people in power use their authority to mistreat the powerless that cannot defend themselves. Power corrupts leaders and makes them evil in the eyes of the oppressed. Therefore, the oppressed fear power because it makes people evil.

The climax comes when the opposition political movements push for civilization against the opposing powers. Therefore, freedom is restored, and the oppressed are given a chance to air their views regarding governance.

The system of education in place foreshadows sycophancy in the coming days.

The purpose of education is understated. For instance, those in authority consider students as empty bank accounts that will be cashed out later by the same politicians. Therefore, instead of students maturing to become vital decision making, they become sycophants of the oppressors.

The story alludes to the mistreatment of the poor by the rich and powerful members of society.

The imagery of education aids readers to visualize the sycophancy cultivated by leaders to ensure that they cash from the students later in life.

The main paradox is that oppression finds its way in a civilized society. For instance, the reader finds it satirical that the education system is tailored to enslave students to worship their corrupt and oppressive leaders.

The story of the oppressors parallels the daily life of the so-called civilized society.

‘Praxis’ refers to a special kind of freedom that should be accessible to all people regardless of societal rank.

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