Introduction: “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks
“Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks, first published in the Journal of Advanced Composition (JAC) in 2000, is a profound exploration of the transformative power of language. In this essay, hooks delves into her personal journey as a writer, revealing how language has served as both a tool for liberation and a means of self-discovery. The article is distinguished by its lyrical prose, personal anecdotes, and insightful reflections on the intersection of race, gender, and class in the writing process. Hooks’s work has had a significant impact on literary theory, particularly in its contributions to feminist and critical race theory. Her emphasis on the political nature of language and her exploration of the ways in which writing can be a tool for social change have made her a vital figure in contemporary literary studies.
Summary of “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks
- Passion for Writing as Ecstasy: bell hooks opens by describing her passion for writing as a transcendental experience, likening it to ecstasy. She shares how she discovered the transformative power of language through performance, specifically in her early years when oration was highly valued in her segregated southern schools. Hooks writes about how language and writing allowed her to experience moments of deep immersion, where the self falls away, and one becomes completely absorbed in the act of creation.
Quote: “Writing is my passion. It is a way to experience the ecstatic.” (hooks, 2000, p.1) - Performance and Writing as Intertwined: Hooks connects the act of writing with performance, a theme central to her early education. She recalls performing poems in the living room of her childhood home during power outages and how these experiences shaped her understanding of language’s ability to enchant, seduce, and transform. These early memories solidified her belief that writing, like performance, should make words “live and breathe.”
Quote: “We were taught to perform… I practiced the art of making words matter.” (hooks, 2000, p.2) - The Separation of Criticism and Creative Writing: Hooks critiques the artificial divide between creative writing and literary criticism, a distinction she encountered during her academic years. She argues that criticism is often seen as a more “objective” and detached practice, whereas creative writing is associated with emotional and subjective engagement. This separation, hooks argues, is rooted in hierarchical academic traditions that view critics as superior to writers.
Quote: “We were wrongly taught that it was an expression of neutrality.” (hooks, 2000, p.2) - The Critical Essay as a Site of Engagement: Hooks champions the critical essay as a form that fosters deep intellectual engagement. She explains that her preference for the short essay form stems from her resistance to the long-winded academic papers encouraged in graduate school. The essay, for hooks, allows for dialectical engagement with ideas, encouraging both the writer and reader to grapple with complex concepts in a more accessible and impactful format. Quote: “The critical essay is the most useful form for the expression of a dialectical engagement with ideas.” (hooks, 2000, p.3)
- Writing as a Radical and Revolutionary Act:
Hooks positions writing, especially cultural criticism, as a political act. She emphasizes the importance of engaging with ideas in a way that challenges systems of domination, such as racism, sexism, and class elitism. She argues that critics who write about marginalized experiences without genuine engagement risk perpetuating oppressive structures rather than dismantling them.
Quote: “Writing cultural criticism to be hip and cool… allows critics to indulge in acts of appropriation without risk.” (hooks, 2000, p.6) - Intellectual Freedom and the Risk of Exclusion: Reflecting on her experience as an independent thinker, hooks acknowledges the challenges faced by those who resist conforming to the intellectual norms of academia. She shares a personal anecdote about being excluded from a conference because of her unpredictable and dissenting stance, which she argues threatens the status quo.
Quote: “You insist on being an independent thinker. You’re a ‘wild card.’ No one knows what you will say.” (hooks, 2000, p.7) - Writing as a Practice of Freedom: Ultimately, hooks frames writing as a practice of freedom. She speaks of the power of words to liberate both the writer and the reader, positioning writing as an act of resistance and transformation. For hooks, writing is not just an intellectual exercise but a means of engaging with the world in a way that is deeply political and personal.
Quote: “Writing these words, I look down at passages… They challenge me: ‘Do you want the words or will you live what you know?'” (hooks, 2000, p.8)
Literary Terms/Concepts in “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks
| Literary Term/Concept | Explanation | Context in the Essay |
| Ecstasy in Writing | Refers to the transcendental experience of immersion in the act of writing, where the self is absorbed completely. | Hooks describes writing as an ecstatic experience, similar to mystical or spiritual practices, where she becomes “transported” by words. |
| Creative-Critical Divide | The distinction between creative writing (poetry, fiction) and critical writing (essays, criticism) in academia. | Hooks critiques the academic separation between creative and critical writing, arguing that all writing is creative and critical. |
| Political Writing | Writing that actively engages with power structures and social justice issues, such as racism, sexism, and classism. | Hooks views writing as a form of political resistance that can challenge systems of domination and calls for writing to be a tool for radical and revolutionary change. |
| Orality and Performance | The emphasis on spoken word and performance in writing, highlighting the emotional and communal aspects of language. | Hooks recalls how reciting poems and performing shaped her understanding of writing as a performative and communal act, where words “live and breathe.” |
| Hierarchical Divide | The power structure in academia that positions critics above writers, often reinforcing objectivity over engagement. | Hooks criticizes the academic hierarchy that values critical writing over creative writing, viewing it as a dispassionate and detached stance that diminishes the creative process. |
| Deconstruction | A critical approach that seeks to uncover hidden meanings and challenge assumptions in texts and discourses. | Hooks references deconstruction, particularly through Gayatri Spivak, to emphasize the importance of questioning premises and continually shifting positions in critical writing. |
| Intersectionality | A framework that explores the interconnectedness of social categories like race, gender, and class in shaping oppression. | While not explicitly named, hooks’ work reflects intersectional feminist theory, as she discusses how writing can address multiple dimensions of identity and marginalization. |
| Vernacular Writing | The use of everyday language, particularly that of marginalized or working-class communities, in literary expression. | Hooks emphasizes the importance of using accessible, vernacular modes of expression in her writing, particularly drawing from the culture of the southern Black working class. |
| Feminist Literary Criticism | A literary approach that examines how literature perpetuates or challenges gender-based power dynamics. | Hooks’ essay is rooted in feminist literary theory, as she discusses how writing can resist patriarchal, racial, and class-based domination through both content and form. |
| Engaged Criticism | A form of criticism that is deeply involved with the material it critiques, rather than being detached or neutral. | Hooks promotes engaged criticism, which requires active participation and personal investment in the ideas being critiqued, opposing the traditional academic notion of detached objectivity. |
| Cultural Criticism | Criticism that examines cultural products (like literature, media) and their relation to social and political power. | Hooks discusses the role of cultural critics in addressing popular culture and the risks of writing that appears to be “hip” but does not engage with deeper political issues. |
| Intellectual Resistance | The act of using intellectual and literary tools to challenge dominant ideologies and oppressive systems. | Hooks presents writing as a form of intellectual resistance, encouraging writers to take a stand and confront oppressive social structures through their work. |
| Transformative Writing | Writing that has the power to inspire change, both in individuals and in society, by challenging established norms. | Hooks views writing as a transformative practice that can shape personal identity and drive social and political change, moving beyond traditional academic purposes. |
| Simplicity and Clarity in Writing | The idea that complex ideas should be communicated with clarity and simplicity, avoiding obscuring meaning. | Hooks emphasizes the need for writers to simplify complex ideas without reducing their depth, using clear and direct language to engage a broad audience. |
Contribution of “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks to Literary Theory/Theories
1. Challenging the Divide Between Criticism and Creative Writing
One of the significant contributions of hooks’ essay is her critique of the artificial separation between literary criticism and creative writing. In many academic traditions, creative writing is often perceived as a subjective, emotional act, while literary criticism is seen as a more objective, intellectual exercise. hooks contests this divide, arguing that all writing is inherently creative and that criticism, when done passionately, can be as transformative as poetry or fiction.
- Theoretical Contribution: This argument aligns with and extends feminist and poststructuralist critiques of hierarchical binaries—particularly the mind/body dualism in Western thought. By advocating for the integration of creative and critical practices, hooks proposes a more fluid understanding of writing that disrupts the rigid categories often upheld in academic settings.
- Quote: “I do not distinguish between creative and critical writing because all writing is creative. . . . And all writing is critical.” (hooks, 2000, p. 2)
2. Writing as an Act of Political Resistance
hooks emphasizes that writing is not merely a reflection of ideas but an active engagement with power dynamics and social structures. She sees writing—both creative and critical—as a political act that can challenge systems of domination, such as racism, sexism, and classism. This stance aligns her with cultural studies and postcolonial theorists who argue that literature and criticism must engage with real-world issues and serve as tools for social transformation.
- Theoretical Contribution: By viewing writing as a form of activism, hooks contributes to the tradition of critical theory, particularly the works of scholars like Gayatri Spivak and Edward Said, who explore the role of intellectuals in resistance movements. hooks goes further by advocating for the integration of everyday life with theoretical practice, thus grounding literary criticism in lived experience.
- Quote: “Writing cultural criticism to be hip and cool… allows critics to indulge in acts of appropriation without risk.” (hooks, 2000, p. 6)
3. Feminist and Intersectional Theories of Writing
As a feminist thinker, hooks brings an intersectional lens to the act of writing. She emphasizes the importance of writing as a space for marginalized voices, particularly those of women, people of color, and working-class individuals. hooks criticizes the tendency of academic and critical writing to reflect the interests of privileged groups while marginalizing others. Her insistence that all writing has the potential to disrupt these power structures is central to her feminist literary critique.
- Theoretical Contribution: hooks’ work fits into feminist literary theory, which critiques traditional literary canons and seeks to elevate marginalized voices. Her writing also aligns with intersectional feminist theory, which understands oppression as multidimensional and interconnected across axes of race, gender, class, and sexuality.
- Quote: “Writing to fulfill professional career expectations is not the same as writing that emerges as the fulfillment of a yearning to work with words.” (hooks, 2000, p. 3)
4. The Role of the Writer-Critic
hooks critiques the hierarchical positioning of the critic above the writer, a common dynamic in academic literary criticism. She argues that this separation diminishes the creative potential of critical writing and promotes a detached, “neutral” stance that is often equated with objectivity. hooks rejects this, advocating for a more engaged, passionate form of criticism that blurs the boundaries between critic and writer.
- Theoretical Contribution: This rejection of academic elitism contributes to democratizing literary theory by questioning who gets to produce knowledge and in what form. Her argument is in line with the poststructuralist critique of institutionalized knowledge production and the feminist insistence on personal, subjective engagement in intellectual work.
- Quote: “We were wrongly taught that it was an expression of neutrality. In actuality, it was an assertion of the hierarchical divide separating critic and writer.” (hooks, 2000, p. 2)
5. Writing as a Spiritual and Ecstatic Practice
hooks presents writing as more than an intellectual activity; for her, it is a form of spiritual practice that allows for personal transcendence. She describes the process of writing as an ecstatic experience akin to mystical religious practices. This perspective challenges conventional views of writing as purely rational or utilitarian, introducing a metaphysical dimension to literary theory.
- Theoretical Contribution: This metaphysical aspect aligns with theories of writing that emphasize its role in shaping identity and consciousness. By linking writing to spiritual fulfillment, hooks integrates personal transformation with social and political critique, creating a holistic vision of what writing can achieve.
- Quote: “As a writer, I seek that moment of ecstasy when I am dancing with words, moving in a circle of love so complete.” (hooks, 2000, p. 3)
6. Deconstruction and Multiplicity of Voices
Hooks advocates for a form of writing that acknowledges the multiplicity of voices and experiences, warning against the dangers of singular perspectives. She draws on deconstructionist thought, particularly the work of Gayatri Spivak, to argue that writing should be vigilant about its premises and continuously challenge fixed positions.
- Theoretical Contribution: Hooks’ emphasis on multiplicity and deconstruction aligns with poststructuralist and deconstructionist theories, particularly those of Derrida and Spivak, that question the stability of meaning and identity. By urging writers to engage with a variety of voices and styles, hooks resists fixed interpretations and monolithic narratives.
- Quote: “Deconstruction teaches us to look at these limits and questions.” (hooks, 2000, p. 5)
Examples of Critiques Through “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks
| Literary Work/Tradition | Critique by bell hooks | Explanation in the Context of “Remembered Rapture” |
| Traditional Academic Criticism | Hooks critiques the hierarchical separation between critic and writer, arguing that critics are often seen as superior. | She challenges the academic tradition that views criticism as detached, objective, and “neutral,” often heralding dispassionate criticism as superior to more engaged, passionate writing. |
| Graduate School Literary Criticism | Hooks critiques graduate school training that emphasizes long, “padded” papers, which often feel dead and lack passion. | Hooks sees the academic system as one that pushes students to write extended papers without real intellectual engagement, reinforcing a divide between true passion for writing and academic obligation. |
| Cultural Criticism on Popular Culture | Hooks critiques cultural critics who write about popular culture to seem “hip” without engaging in radical politics. | She warns that writing about popular culture can often appear progressive without truly addressing deeper issues of power, racism, sexism, or classism, leading to surface-level engagement. |
| Feminist and Postcolonial Theory (General) | Hooks critiques the tendency of some feminist or postcolonial scholars to become “cool” and intellectual elites, detached from activism. | While these theories are meant to disrupt power, hooks argues that some academics in these fields can reinforce hierarchies by focusing more on theoretical coolness than on actual political engagement. |
Criticism Against “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks
- Overemphasis on Personal Experience: Some critics argue that hooks places too much emphasis on her personal experience and subjective viewpoint in “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words,” which might limit the essay’s academic rigor. While her personal reflections add depth, the heavy reliance on individual narrative could be seen as lacking in broader theoretical analysis.
- Blurring of Creative and Critical Writing: Hooks’ critique of the division between creative and critical writing, while progressive, might be seen as problematic by some scholars. Critics might argue that the separation between the two genres serves a valuable purpose in maintaining the distinctiveness of academic criticism, which requires objectivity and methodological rigor, as opposed to creative expression which is more subjective.
- Lack of Theoretical Depth in Feminist Analysis: While hooks addresses feminist issues, some might feel her essay does not delve deeply enough into feminist theory or intersectional analysis. Her arguments could be seen as more polemical than theoretically grounded, lacking in detailed engagement with established feminist and critical race theories.
- Simplification of Academic Criticism: Critics might view hooks’ critique of academic criticism as overly simplistic. Her argument that academic criticism is “dead” or dispassionate could be seen as a broad generalization that overlooks the nuance and rigor involved in scholarly critique, which aims for objectivity rather than disengagement.
- Idealization of Writing as a Spiritual Act: Hooks’ portrayal of writing as an ecstatic, almost mystical experience might be seen by some as overly idealized. Critics might argue that this perspective undervalues the technical, disciplined aspects of writing and the intellectual rigor required for academic and critical writing.
- Insufficient Engagement with Existing Theories: Some might argue that hooks’ essay does not engage deeply enough with existing literary theories or the work of other critics. Instead, her focus is on her personal experiences and reflections, which could be seen as limiting the scope of the critique and reducing its relevance to broader academic conversations.
- Overemphasis on Resistance Without Solutions: Hooks’ emphasis on resistance to hierarchical structures and dominant ideologies is a central theme, but some might argue that she does not provide enough concrete solutions for how to dismantle these structures within academia or the broader literary field.
Suggested Readings: “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks
- hooks, bell. Remembered Rapture: The Writer at Work. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1999.
URL: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780805057648/remembered-rapture - hooks, bell. Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black. South End Press, 1989.
URL: https://www.southendpress.org/titles/TalkingBack - hooks, bell. Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. Routledge, 1994.
URL: https://www.routledge.com/Teaching-to-Transgress-Education-as-the-Practice-of-Freedom/hooks/p/book/9780415908085 - hooks, bell. Outlaw Culture: Resisting Representations. Routledge, 1994.
URL: https://www.routledge.com/Outlaw-Culture-Resisting-Representations/hooks/p/book/9780415905190 - hooks, bell. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. South End Press, 1984.
URL: https://www.southendpress.org/titles/FeministTheory - Cooper, Brittney C. Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women. University of Illinois Press, 2017.
URL: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p080235 - Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. In Other Worlds: Essays in Cultural Politics. Routledge, 1987.
URL: https://www.routledge.com/In-Other-Worlds-Essays-in-Cultural-Politics/Spivak/p/book/9780415389563 - Lorde, Audre. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Crossing Press, 1984.
URL: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/239227/sister-outsider-by-audre-lorde/ - Mairs, Nancy. Voice Lessons: On Becoming a (Woman) Writer. Beacon Press, 1994.
URL: https://www.beacon.org/Voice-Lessons-P1167.aspx
Representative Quotations from “Remembered Rapture: Dancing with Words” by bell hooks with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “Writing is my passion. It is a way to experience the ecstatic.” | Hooks introduces writing as a transcendent, deeply immersive experience, likening it to a form of ecstasy. This sets the tone for her view of writing as both a spiritual and creative act. |
| “At school and at home we entertained one another with talent shows—singing, dancing, acting, reciting poetry.” | This reflects how her early experiences with performance shaped her understanding of writing as a performative act, combining spoken word and written text. |
| “I do not distinguish between creative and critical writing because all writing is creative.” | Hooks challenges the traditional academic divide between critical and creative writing, asserting that both forms require imagination and intellectual engagement. |
| “We were wrongly taught that it was an expression of neutrality.” | Hooks critiques the notion of academic neutrality, especially in criticism, arguing that detachment is often a hierarchical stance that distances the critic from the writer. |
| “Writing to fulfill professional career expectations is not the same as writing that emerges as the fulfillment of a yearning.” | Here, hooks contrasts writing as a professional duty with writing driven by a deep personal calling, underscoring her belief in writing as a vocation rather than mere academic output. |
| “I seek that moment of ecstasy when I am dancing with words, moving in a circle of love so complete…” | This metaphor of “dancing with words” exemplifies hooks’ view of writing as an act of love and passion, where language moves fluidly and creatively. |
| “Deconstruction teaches us to look at these limits and questions.” | Hooks references deconstruction as a critical tool to uncover the hidden structures in texts, encouraging writers and critics to challenge assumptions and fixed meanings. |
| “Writing cultural criticism to be hip and cool… allows critics to indulge in acts of appropriation without risk.” | Hooks critiques cultural critics who write about popular culture to appear trendy, warning that such criticism often lacks real engagement with radical or revolutionary ideas. |
| “A short piece of critical writing can be easily shared… This accessibility makes it a marvelous catalyst for critical exchange.” | Hooks advocates for the critical essay as a tool for intellectual dialogue, valuing its brevity and accessibility as a way to engage a wide audience in meaningful discussion. |
| “Do you want the words or will you live what you know?” | This quotation emphasizes the importance of embodying the knowledge gained through writing and reflection, pushing readers to live out the ideas they encounter in their intellectual journey. |