S Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House By Audre Lorde

Divisions within feminism through differences are demobilizing the necessary movement required to create change. In Audre Lorde’s piece, “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House”, Lorde uses her experience at NYU’s Humanities conference to address how racism and homophobia are present in feminism. Furthermore, she believes not all women of a particular identity share the same experiences, so to change the patriarchy, feminists must work together and use their differences as a uniting factor rather than something to categorize and separate women. Through the reference to metaphor- the master house and the master’s tools- and the use of pathos, Lorde ensures to stress that differences between people need to be used as empowerment

The first time this was mentioned: “What does it mean when the tools of a racist patriarchy are used to examine the fruits of that same patriarchy?” (Lorde 1), Lorde uses the master’s tools to represent how when someone is in a place of privilege, it is harder to make changes to the system because they cannot see or experience the problem. The way Lorde incorporates the metaphor with her point allows readers to think critically about the problem of feminism that lacks representation without her directly stating it. She continues to state how using the master's tools or the lack of representation “may allow us temporarily to beat him at his own game” (Lorde 1), which isn’t a permanent, reliable solution. To understand this quote, the audience must have followed along and understood the beginning of this piece. By doing this, the audience has to quickly interpret the message, while relating to feminism. Lorde continues to use this metaphor and describes the role of discrimination in the lack of progress in areas of feminism with the “old and primary tool of all oppressors to keep the oppressed occupied with the master’s concerns” (Lorde 2). By indirectly refering to something allows the audience to critically analyze what she is saying to come up with their interpretation, which will resonate with them more rather than having the audience

For example, when discussing dividing different women based on differences, she refers to the supporters as the “grossest reformist” (Lorde 1). The way she uses a powerful term- grossest- strengthens the overall argument presented in that sentence because it presents a sense of disgust towards it. Then, to further convey her argument, she uses stronger words to demonstrate her passion, frustration, and anger to describe being different as a “raw and powerful connection from which our personal power is forged” (Lorde 1). The words: raw, powerful, and forged all help to strongly emphasize that differences are unique, individualistic traits that were obtained through personal challenges. In the end, to suggest change, Lorde urges the audience to use their differences as a source of empowerment rather than a source of fear between people (Lorde 2). By ending with this push, she hopes that the audience feels more compelled to take her advice. Lorde’s genuine emotions are apparent throughout the piece, which allows the audience to empathize with