Chapter 4 Summary and Analysis

The author distinguishes between her normal self, Gloria Watkins, and her pseudonym, or 'literary subpersonality' who is called "bell hooks." This latter name does not have capital letters even on the cover of the book. The unspoken humility involved, or the results of having been beaten down and undermined? What she does in this essay is highly creative. She is playing both parts of a dialogue. She does this as a means of describing Paulo Freire, who is one of her important intellectual influences. During the dialogue, the two viewpoints discuss the ways that Paulo's work has been helpful. The conversation also involves ways in which the same thinker has been experienced as hurtful and harmful. This conversational technique also permits the author to share 'inner dialogue.' Much of the process that women readers go through when using the works...