TheBellHooks:AnAcademicLearningExperience
AlthougheducationclearlyofferedHooksanacademiclearningexperience,thepassagefocuseson thelessonsabouttheintersectionofracesandclassthatHookslearnedabout.Duetocrippling financialissueswithinherfamily,Hooks'mothertaughthertolabelanyofhercostlydesiresas wrong.Shesoonbelievedthattheissueofmoneyandclasswastoomuchofanissueforherto worryabouthaving"thingsagirlofmyclasswouldnotordinarilydesire"Thiswasthe"hidden curriculum"shelearnedofathome.
Atschool,sherealizedthatshewouldhavetostruggleinordertokeeptohermoralsandidentityin acrowdofpeoplewhofeltcontemptandenvytowardsricherstudentsandstudentsofhigherclasses orotherracesthatboasted
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Ethos,Pathos,andLogos,bellhooksStyle
bellhookstiesinthethreeelementsofargument,ethos,pathos,andlogosinheressay,"Keeping ClosetoHome:ClassandEducation,"bytellingusaboutthemanyeventsofherlife.hooks establishescredibility,orethos,unintentionally,throughdescriptionsofherachievementsand characterhooksappealstothereaderslogic,orlogos,bygivingrealworldexamplesfromher personalexperiences.Shealsoappealstothereadersemotions,orpathos.Pathosistheaspectof argumentsheusesmostheavily.hooksdoesthisbytalkingaboutfamily,peers,feelings,and change.hooksshowsus,inheressay,credibility,logic,andemotionusingthestoriesofherlife.
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Itisimportantthatweholdontoandcherishourpastsothatwemayneverbedividedfromit.One wayhooksremainsfaithfultoherworkingclasspastisbyspeakingorwritinginan"anti–intellectual"wayWhenhooksfeelsshehasanaudiencethiswouldapplyto,despitethecriticism shemayreceive,sheuseseyecontact,speakingdirectlytotheaudience.Ashookpointsout,"...,the useofalanguageandstyleofpresentationthatalienatesmostfolkswhoarenotalsoacademically trainedreinforcesthenotionthattheacademicworldisseparatefromthereallife,thateveryday worldwhereweconstantlyadjustourlanguageandbehaviortomeetdiverseneeds"(90).Itis importantthatpeopleworktokeeptheacademicworldfrombeingaseparateworldasbellhooks hasdone.bellhooksappealstothereader'slogicbytruthfullystatinghowsocietydividesthe academicandworkingclass.Shepointsoutthatwhencircumstanceschange,one'svaluesusually changeaswell.Shesaysthatyoungblackpeopleareencouragedbythedominantculturetobelieve thatassimilationistheonlypossiblewaytosurvive,tosucceed.Ashookargues,"Effortto assimilatethevaluesandbeliefsofprivilegedwhitepeople,presentedthroughmedialiketelevision, undermineanddestroypotentialstructuresofopposition"(89).hooksalsopointsoutthatatStanford therewereclassdifferences,butitwasanissuenottobedealtwith.Everyone
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FeminismaccordingtoHooks,"movementtoendsexism,sexistexploitation,andoppression." Hookslikesherstateddefinitionoffeminism,because"itdoesn'timplythatmenweretheenemy. bynamingsexismastheproblemitwentdirectlytotheheartofthematter".Ifyouhavesexist thinkingyouhaveaproblembothwomenandmencanbesexist.AccordingtoHooksmanypeople believefeminismtobe;anti–men,womenseekingtobeequaltomen,equalpayforequalwork, whiteandprivileged.Thesepeopleoftenlearnaboutfeminismthroughmassmediaanddonot believefeminismtobeasexistproblem,buttounderstandfeminism"itimpliesonehasto necessarilyunderstandsexism"(Hooks,37)amajorityofpeopledonotunderstandwhat sexism...showmorecontent...
WhenhesaidNO!Icouldnotbelieveit.Isaid,"doyourealizeitis2015andwomenworkharder thanmostmen."Hesaidbacktome,"Alana,therearethingsinmyjobthatyoucannotdoandthere arethingsinyourjobthatIamnotallowedtodolegally.So,ifwecannotdoequalworkthenwhy shouldwegetequalpay?Isaid"yourblackdoyoufeelthatablackmanshouldgetpaidwhata whitemangetspaid?"Hesaid,"yes"!Ithensaidtohim"wellthenmyfriendwomenandmen shouldbepaidequallybecausejustlikeyoufeelwhiteandblackmenareequalsoaremenand women".Ourconversationwentonandonforhours.Iwassomadwhenheleftmyhouse.Icould notbelievethatthismanIhaveknowfor5yearsreallyfeltthisway.IfeltlikenomatterwhatIsaid totryandconvincehimthatwomenareequalandthatmenwouldnotbelivingbeingsifitwasn't forawomenthatweshouldgetequalpay.Irealizedthatheisnottheonlymanthatfeelsthisway. HeisthefirstmanthatIhavetalkedtoaboutthisandhasfeltthatway.Myfriendisnotabadman, Ijustfeelhisviewonequalrightsisjust
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FeminismAccordingToHooks
Women,WritingandLanguage:BroadeningtheDefinitionofDominance
InheressayentitledTeachingtheNewWorlds/NewWords,bellhooksfocusesonexploringand illuminatingthecloselinkbetweenlanguageandoppressionfromafeministperspective.Recording thatlanguageisaself–imposingkaleidoscopeofproductivechallengesandassistancesthatis impossibletobondorrepress;shesuggeststhattryingtocircumscribe,itaccordingtotheirinterest ispreciselywhatoppressorsdowithit.HooksadressesAfrican–Americans'relationshiptothe StandardEnglishasarealitymorethanamerecasestudy,andilluminatingthathowtheirnative language,theirmostimmensemeanofbondingtoeachotherhadbeentakenawayfromthem andshowmorecontent
Itcanbeseenthatthepoemclearlyhadanaffectionofhookssincethetwotextshavevisibly parallelmindsets.Infact,hookshighlightsthatparallelismbyquotingalinefromRich:''Thisisthe oppressor'slanguageyetIneedittotalktoyou''(1)recurrentlyhooksexpressesthatthewordsof Richinherentlypossessthepowertodemanddisobediencetodominationthroughlanguageandthey evokeadeepcravingtoreachoutthecolonizedpeoples,tointernalizehowtheysuffered,gotkilled, madelanguageless,exiled,marginalized.Naturally,Richdoesnotmakethiscallbyatheoretical, dullunderstandingbutthroughsummoningtosympathy,abilitytofeeltheexpelledthroughthe imaginationderivedfrombeingtheother:beingtheotheristhecatalystoftheunificationthat awakenstheoppressedandmakethemseizethelanguage,reinventandutilizeittocelebratetheir differences;andsynchronously,drawinthenon–otherstoaunfamilliarlandscapeoflanguage.Even thoughthewordsoftheotherwouldoccurtothenon–otherasalien,theeffortonencouragingthe majoritytowalkonthelandoftheother'sknowledgewithoutaclaimofmasteryorsuperiorityis crucialforamulticulturalsocietytoofferlifetoabroaderrangeofindividuals.Also,thissenseof learningwithoutasenseofsupremacyisonesignificant
BellHooks
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Hook
"Ithinkthesaddestpeoplealwaystrytheirhardesttomakepeoplehappybecausetheyknowwhat it'sliketofeelabsolutelyworthlessandtheydon'twantanyoneelsetofeellikethat."
Backgroundinfo(birthplace,birthdate,anyrelevantchildhoodinfo.,relevantrelationshipinfo., etc):
IwasborninthegreatcityofChicago,IllinoisonJuly21,1951.Iwoulddescribemyselfasshort, shy,chubby,andlonelyasachild.KidswouldneverplaywithmebecauseofthosereasonssoI wouldtalktomyselfinfunnyvoicesasaformofentertainmentAlthoughIalsocreditmymomfor mysenseofhumortoo.EveninhighschoolIwasvoted"Mosthumorous"butalso"Leastlikelyto succeed."
Event#1:Besuretoincludethedate,place,showmorecontent
I'vewon55awardsoutof67nominations.Twoofmymovies(JumanjiandTheBirdcage)both reachedatotalof$100millioninthesameweekNotmanyactorsandactressescanclaimtohave achievedthesamething.ThreeofthemoviesthatIwasinwereawardedanOscarforBestPicture.
Event#6:Besuretoincludethedate,place,andtimeofeventswhenavailable!
OfcourseI'vemademanyfamousfriendsalongthewaylikemybestfriendChristopherReeves whowasmycollegeroommateandbestknownforhisroleofSupermanWhenhesufferedfroma seriousinjurylandinghiminthehospitalIcameintotheroomasaRussiandoctorandwasthefirst tomakehimlaugh.Thatsaysalotconsideringhefelloffahorsewhichmadehimfracturehisneck andendedhiscareerin1995
Event#7:Besuretoincludethedate,place,andtimeofeventswhenavailable!
I'mahugerugbyfanandhavevisitedNewZealandwithmywifemanytimes.That'swhereamet LomuwhoispartoftheRugbyUnion.Youcanseemanypicturesofmesittingonhisshoulders whichshowshowtallhereallyis.
Event#8:Besuretoincludethedate,place,andtimeofeventswhen
Hook:APersonalNarrativeOfMyLife
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InCLASSMATTERS,BellhookscitesherownpathtoclassawarenessClassiswhatthathooks claimsneithertherichpeoplenorthepooroneswanttotalkaboutwidely.Also,hooksputsthe spotlightontheharmdonebysilences.shewantstobreakthesilence."ClassMatters"doesagood joboffreeingclassintheUnitedStatesfromvariousperspectives."wherewestand"playedan importantroleinchangingpeopleperspectivesabouttheirclasssheaddressesthatifpeoplemoved toanupperclass,theyshoudntbethatmuchinfluenced.
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ClassMattersByBellHooksAnalysis
[1]Inbellhooks'childhoodandupbringingasawomanofcolorinasocietythatisdominatedby patriarchy,itwashardforhertofindimagesofherselfinthemedia.Inheressay"TheOppositonal Gaze:BlackFemaleSpectators",shedetailshowblackwomendonotseethemselvesproperly representedinmediaduetoawhitepatriarchalsociety.Ratherthanshowingthefullscopeofblack womenandtheirdiversequalitiesandcharacteristics,theyaregeneralizedandforcedtofitone particularstereotype.Withthisimagerepeatedtimeandtimeagain,itissolidifiedinthemindsof themassesandthisresultsintheunderrepresentedminorityhavingaloweredstatusuponviewing suchmedia(hooks118)Thisstatusforcesthemtolookatshowmorecontent
Ashistoryiswrittenbythevictors,thoseinpowerdecidewhatisincludedinhistoryandwhatisleft out,eitherintentionalorsimplyoutofnegligence.UponviewingWalker'swork,itbecomesevident thattheskepticismthathooksarguesisneededtocreateatruthfromthedistortionsoffilmisalso necessarywhenanalyzingwrittenhistory.Thesketchistheembodimentoftheveryskepticismthat definestheoppositionalgazeAshooksquestionsthewayinwhichblackwomenarepresentedina singlelight,Walker'sgazeisinterrogativeofthepraisebestoweduntoindividualswhoarefavored bythosewhodecidewhatisincludedinwrittenhistory.Shedismantlesidealisticrepresentationsof thosedeemedheroes.Hersearchfortruthmayappeartobeill–mannered,buthercauseisnoble enoughtojustifythesemeansofexpression.
[3]TounderstandhowWalkerappliestheoppositionalgazehooksdescribes,wemustfirstseehow herworkcreatesalookthatopposesthetraditionally–acceptedrepresentation.Herpieceplacesa greatimportanceontheactionsofviewingandlooking.Theimageitselfappearstobeoccurring withinafisheyelens,atypeofvisualdistortionthatiscommonlyusedtoachieveawiderscopeand arrayofanglesofview,allowingforavarietyofperspectivestobeanalyzed.Oneofimportanceis thegazeoftheblackwoman
AnalysisOfTheOppositonalGazeByBellHooks
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bellhooksin"LoveasthePracticeofFreedom"explainsthoroughlyastohowloveistheformtobe liberated.Withoutanylovesocietyisblindandcontinuestopracticesystemsofdominationwithout beingawareHoweverthecommunityshouldlookoutforoneanothernotjustwhenaproblem impactsanindividual.Everyonemustbeawareofthesystemsofdomination–imperialism,sexism,racism,andclassismtocreatechange.Whenradicalloveiscomprehendedit allowsthedestructionofoppression,exploitationandthereisliberation `Radicalloveistheactofcomingtogetherandsupportingoneanotherasawhole.hooksreveals thatifthereisnolovethereisnoformthatconflictscanbesolved.Ifoneselftriestoliberate themselvesfromoppressionitwillbeaplanwithnoprogress.Itmustbeunderstoodthatloveisa way...showmorecontent...
hooksexplainshowwhenanindividualchoosestoloveatthatmomentiswhenastepistaking forwardtoendingdominationandoppression.Toloveisapracticeoffreedomandtohelpothers whoareblindtobecomeawareasacommunity.Libertyisapproachedwhenloveisapproachedthis iswhenindividualsseekswaystoliberatethemselves"Themomentwechoosetolovewebeginto moveagainstdomination,againstoppression.Themomentwechoosetolovewebegintomove towardsfreedom,toactinwaysthatliberateourselvesandothersThatactionisthetestimonyof loveasthepracticeoffreedom"(hooks).Oppressionandexploitationisdestroyedwhenlovecomes inandcanonlybedestroyedwheneveryoneasacommunitydecidedtotakeaction.LikeinNorth DakotawhenevenveteransdecidetosupportThousandsofveteransfromaroundthecountry traveledtothestandingrockandkneeleddowntosupportthewaterprotesterswhohavebeen peacefullyprotesting.Lovewonandthesodidtheprotestorsbecauseeveryonecameawholeand
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Hook'sessayisacompellingliterarypiecethatexploredhowthepoorarerepresented.Shewrote abouthowsheherselfgrewuppoorandexploredhowourcultureportraysthepooraslazy, worthless,anddishonest.Hookalsoexplainedhowintelevisionandfilmtherichareseenasthose whoarehard–working,honest,andeagertoshare.
InthisessayHookstructurestheessaysothatwhenevershetalksaboutsomethingshegivesareal worldexampleorpersonalexperiencetobackupherthoughts.Thisisageniuswritingtechnique. Sheisshowingthatshehasreasontowriteaboutthistopicandthatshe'snotjustmaking assumptions.
Inparagraphs6through8hookspeaksabouttherelationshipbetweenpovertyandpersonal integrity.Inotice
AnalysisOfHook'sEssayByAnnHook
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bellhooks,Americanfeministwriterandliterarycritic,oncesaid,"Theclassroom,withallits limitations,remainsalocationofpossibility."Evenwhenshewrotethesewordsover20yearsago in1994,therewasaclear,unsulliedideaofwhatachild'seducationshouldbecomposed ofpossibilities.Inthetimeofhooks'writing,America'speoplewerebeingtestedontheirstrength asthedeindustrializationofmajorcitiesoccurred,leavingmostofthefactoryworkerswithout moneyandhomeless.AfterReaganleftoffice,therewasanabundancetocleanup.Thecountry's peopleweretryingtocreatepossibilitiesthatmightworkout.TheAmericanschoolsystemremains aboutwhathookssaid:possibilitiesEvenwiththemediacontinuouslyshowmorecontent Weseeconstantdisparitiesinfundingwithinourschoolsystembetweenclassandbetweenrace. Becauseofthis,weneedtoregulatethefundingbetweenthe"goodschoolbadschoolpoorschool richschool"paradigm.Whyaren'ttherealreadylawspermittingandenforcingequalfunding?Inthe rulingofRodriguezvs.SanAntonioIndependentSchooldistrict,itwasfoundthatevenifitwas completelymorallyethical,lawsagainstorforinequitablefundingarenotintheconstitutionand thereforeitcannotberuleduponinthehighcourt.So,eveniftwoschoolsinthesamedistrictare withina10,000dollarsfundingdifference,apupilcannotdoanythingaboutitbecauseitdoesn'tsay anythingaboutitintheconstitution.Statesinthedeepsouth,likeTexasandAlabama,gettheleast funding,saysastudydonebytheNationalLawCenterforEducation.TheU.S.averageforfunding perstateis$10,132foronepupilTennessee'smoneyspentperpupilis$6,839Also,Tennesseehas oneofthelowestGDPsanditseducationeffortisoneofthelowest.Whyisthis?Because Tennesseestilldidn'ttakeadvantageofitsfiscalcapacity,andthat'swhyitreceivedanFonthe effortscaleInastudydonebyEducationTrust,itsaidthatthereisa1,200dollargapbetweenthe districtswiththemostpovertyandthedistrictswiththeleast
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BellHooks'sEducation
IsEducationEqual?
TheUnitedStatesprovidesoursocietywiththeundeniablerighttolearn.Therighttohigher educationisnotlimitedtothemiddleandupperclasses;itallowsthelessprivileged,minorities,as wellasbothsexes,toreceiveanequaleducation.Twoargumentswhichpresentinterestingviewson highereducationarebellhook’s“KeepingClosetoHome';andAdrienne Rich’s“WhatDoesaWomanNeedtoKnow?';Hooksviewshigher educationwithaconcernfortheunderprivileged,whereasRichviewsitwithaconcernforwomen. Ofthetwoworks,IpersonallydonotagreewithRich’sargument Bellhooksviews...showmorecontent...
Society,peers,andeducatorsmakeassumptionsthatlabeltheunderprivilegedandminoritiesas “‘lowerclass’people';whohave“nobeliefsor values';(88).Professorsexpectthesestudentstoperformbadlybecauseoftheirpastandtheir reputationintoday’ssocietyThestudentsarenotgiventhefairchanceotherstudents receive.Knowingthewaysocietyportraysthem,thestudentskeeptothemselves.Evenafterthey provetobeseriousandcapablestudents,theyarestilllookeddownupon.Hooks,atfirst,thought thatinordertosucceedincollege,shemustchangewhoshewas,toblendinwithherpeers.She saidmany“believethatassimilationistheonlypossiblewaytosurvive,tosucceed.';
(89)Aftergoingthroughthetransitionandfacingtheseobstaclesherself,hookscametothe conclusionthatthiswasnotthecase.Shehasmaintainedclosetieswithherfamily,knowswhere shecamefrom,andhassucceededinlife.Hook’sessaytellsusthatyoucanmaintain closerelationshipswithhomeandstillsucceed Notonlyaretheunderprivilegeddiscriminatedagainst,butwomenaretoo.Oneextremefeminist side,AdrienneRichclaimsthatwomenarenotgettingwhattheydeservewhenitcomestohigher education.Richstates,“Thereisnowoman’scollegetodaywhichis providingyoungwomenwith
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EssayaboutBellHooks
InHook'sessaytitled"KeepingClosetoHome"sheusesmanyofherownpersonalexperiencesto transitionintoanalyzingsociety.AfewpersonalexperiencesofHook'sthatcaughtmyattention werehowshediscussedthebarriersthatwerecreatedbyeconomicclassdifferencesbetween students.Comingfromaworkingclassfamily,whensheattendedcollegeshefeltasenseof inferioritytotheotherstudentsThisinferioritymadeitdifficultforhertodiscussherfinancial situationsorhomelifewithanyofherpeers.Hookstated"Italkedtonooneaboutthesourcesof myshame,howithurtstowitnessthecontemptshowntothebrown–skinnedFilipinamaidswho cleanedourrooms,orlatermyconcernaboutthe$100amonthIpaidfor ...Getmorecontent...
Hook'sEssay:KeepingCloseToHome
Thecouncillorneedstobecluedintothethingsthattheclientrelaystothemthatmightindicatea motivationtochangetheirpatternofalcoholabuse.These'motivationalhooks'willbethethings thatwilldrivethetheclienttostoptheirdrinking.Potentialmotivationalhooksmightbehaving custodyofchildrentakenaway,thepossibilityoflosingahouseovernon–payments,potential divorceoverapartner,losingajobduetobeingabsenteeonetoomanytimes,losingadrivers license,severehealthproblems
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MotivationalHooks:ACaseStudy
"WhenwelovetheEarth,weareabletoloveourselvesmorefully"(Hooks968).Thisisthefirst sentencethatBellHooksusesinthereadingof"TouchingtheEarth,"thatessentiallysummarizes thearticle.TheobviouslanguagebeingthattheEarthcanbringunitybetweenothersandtheEarth bringsasenseofcomfortwhenconnectedwithitself.Thearticle"TouchingtheEarth"effectively portraysthenecessityofstayingintouchwiththeEarthbyprovidingstrongquotationsfrom experiencedpeople,incorporatingpathosinahighlydesirablesubject,andusingtheevidenceof historytodisplayherargument.
Hooksintegratesmultiplecitationsfromothercrediblesourcesintoherwritingtoprovideevidence andsupporttoherown...showmorecontent...
Theincorporationofpathosinanargumentcanformastrongstructuredreadingoramakethe readerfeelemotionallytakenadvantageof.InHooksargumentsheusespathoseffectively,without exploitingreadersofherarticle.Shestates,"estrangementfromnatureandengagementin mind/bodysplitsmadeitallthemorepossibleforblackpeopletointernalizewhite–supremacist assumptionsaboutblackidentity"(973).Hooksusesthissentencetoappealtothosewhohave experiencedalossofidentitytofeelfortheblacks.Also,thecitationbringsadesirabletopicupof unitywithindifferentraceandcultures,whichaddsmorereasonforthereadertobepersuadedto hersideoftheargument:theemotionalpullofhowblacksweretreatedevenawayfromtheir normalwaysofliving
Withinthearticle,theuseofmovementfromoneurbanizationtoanothercreatesthehistorical evidenceshowingthatconnectionstotheEarthareanecessity.Oneexampleofthisincludesthe "greatmigration",whichwasamigrationofblackpeopletryingtoescapefromracisminthe agrariansouthtotheindustrializednorth(Hooks971).Hooksexplainsthattheirnewwayoflifein theNorthstillconsistedofracism.Theirbodiesbecameslavestoworkinsteadoftendingtothe natureoftheirbodies,andtheybegantofeelmentallyandphysicallydrained(Hooks972).The blacksendedupmovingbacktothesouthtotryandreconnectwiththeEarthandgaintheiroldway oflifebackto
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AnAnalysisOfTouchingTheEarthByBellHooks
Pinkston,AnnaDr.JeffNewberryENGL1101HAugust26,2017Asmyninth–gradeEnglish teacher,Mrs.Newtonwouldsay,withoutagoodhooktostartyouressay,noonewilleverreadit.
AsIwastaught,ahookisacrucialpartinyouressaybecauseitwillhelpgrabtheaudience's attentionsothattheywillcontinuetobeinvestedthroughoutthepaper.Forexample,thehookcould beaquestionoraquoteabouttheoveralltopicofyouressayInmyjunioryear,wehadtodoa controversialessayandIusedaquotefromafamoustattooartistasmyhookbecauseIdidmyessay overtattoosandpiercings.Afterthehook,theintroductionbeginstotakeformandshowthe audiencewhatyouressayisaboutTheintroductionisthefirstthinginyouressaythatwilltellthe audiencewhattheessayisabout.Theintroductionparagraphshouldbeasinterestingastheinitial hookandkeeptheaudienceinvestedinthepaper.Itwillestablishthebasisoftheessayandshould containthethesisstatement.Thethesisstatementisthepointinyouressaywhereyouwillstatethe topicsthattheessaywillcontain.Inhighschool,weweretaughtthatthethesisshouldcontainthe threepointsthatyouwillelaborateuponinyourthreebodyparagraphs:theweakestpoint,the middlepoint,andthestrongestpoint.Thefirstbodyparagraphshouldbetheweakestorsimplest waytogettheoverallpointoftheessayacrosstothereaders.Thiswillbethefoundationofallthree points,
InformativeEssayHook
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IntheFeministTheory,bellhooksprovidevividexamplesandassertionsonhowmainstream feminismexcludetheissuesofwomenofcolor.MainstreamfeminisminAmericapertainstothe idealsof"white,middle–classprivilegedwoman"asthey"reinforcewhitesupremacybynegating theissueofraceandclassamongstwomanofcolor"(hooks,2000,pg.).Duetonotfulfillingthe attempttogainequality,astheymayclaimtodo,italsocanbeanorganizationthatdisplays "narcissism,insensitivity,sentimentality,andself–indulgence"(hooks,2000,pg.3).Asmainstream feminismshunstheneedsandinterestsofAfrican–Americanwomen,itallowscurrentsocialissues andinequalitiestopersistHooksassertshowstereotypesaboutAfrican–Americanwomenare plaguedwithinthefeministsystem,asmanywomenofcolorendureaformof...showmorecontent... AsAfrican–Americanwomenaddresssocialissuesthatareimportanttotheirlifeexperiences,such asclassandrace,insteadtoacknowledge"commonoppression"ofgenderinequality,theyareoften criticizedby"whitebourgeoisfeminists"(hooks,2000).Theirabilitytogainanyformofequality withinsocietyistarnishedbysuchgroupsastheydevelopa"fearofencounteringracism"from simplyjoiningthismovement(hooks,2000).Aswhitemen,blackmen,andwhitewomenoppress them,theirissuesareoftenignoredduetoreoccurringstereotypesandmythsthatclaimblack womenarestrong,independent,and"superhuman"(hooks,2000).Itbecomesextremelydifficultto seekliberationandequitywithina"racist,sexist,andclassist"society,astheirgenderandrace causesthemtobeatthe"bottomoftheoccupationalladder"and"socialstatus"(hooks,2000,pg 16).Asblackwomenareperceivedtodemonstratestrengthanddynamicqualitiesaswhitewomen perpetratetheimageofbeing
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BellHooksFeministTheoryAnalysis
ReactionstoHooks'FeminismisforEverybody
IamnotafeministsimplybecauseIwasraisedinafeministhouseholdIamnotafeministbecause Iamanindependent,educatedwoman.IamnotafeministbecauseIamabitterfemale,norbecause Iama"womanscorned."IamnotafeministbecauseIhatemen,norbecauseIamalesbiannor becauseIliketolistentotheIndigoGirlsTothecontraryIlovemenandIamnotalesbianWhileI agreewithhooksthat"feminismisamovementtoendsexism,sexistexploitation,andoppression" (viii),Ibelievethatherdefinitionof"feminism"statesthegoalsofthemovementratherthan actuallydefiningthetermitself.Inmymind,feminismisasynonymforequality.Iama feminist...showmorecontent...
Whilesexismisnolongerasovertapracticeasinthepast,itisarguablyjustaspervasivebell hooks'lifeasanacademichasbeenspenttryingtobreakdowntheexistentsexistbarriers,which haveprohibitedwomenfromachievingequalitywithmen.
InFeminismisforEverybody,hooksintroducesapopulartheoryoffeminismrootedincommon senseandthewisdomofherownpersonalexperienceInmyopinion,hooks'bookisperfectly poisedtobecomeTHEOFFICIAL"handbook"or"cliffnotes"tofeminism.Althoughit'sshort, FeminismisforEverybodyispowerful.Itaddressesallofthemostprevalentissuesfacingthe contemporaryfeministmovement,everythingfromwherefeminismstands,reproductivechoice, beauty,violence,race,class,work,allthewaytowherefeminismwillgointhefuture.Sheuses simple,directlanguagetoexpresscomplexissues.However,thatisnottosaythatshe"dumbs–down"suchtopics.Rather,shemakesthemmorecomprehensibletothosenotasfamiliarwith feminismasadiscipline.Thisbookofferseveryone(manorwoman)achancetoexplorefeminism. Itservesasaneye–openertoallthose"wouldbe"feministswhoareafraidtolabelthemselvesas suchforfearofbeingcalledamanhaterorworse,alesbian!Shedispelsthesemythsandothers, forcingheraudience
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