Consciousness-raising as a prime rhetorical strategy of the women's liberation movement is examined. One goal of the women's liberation movement is to persuade women that they live in a state of oppression and, bringing them to this realization, to provide them with the means of breaking out of their psychological bondage. The consciousness-raising group, essentially small group discussion, is the most vital instrument by which the movement hopes to realize these goals. Bringing their lifetime experiences as women to the group, individuals interact through oral communication and exchange personal accounts and feelings. After participating in this communicative experience, the author argues, the women often become more aware of one another as people, learn to value themselves, and learn to view their role in the economic, social, and political arenas with new awareness. The language used in consciousness-raising is the language of oppression and dissatisfaction with the status-quo. A number of key terms in the vocabulary of consciousness-raising are analyzed. (LG)