Naylor came to understand the word "nigger" in different ways. When young the word was spoken among blacks casually and could be positive or negative. Although the word was spoken in front of her dozens of times, she claims to have never "heard" it until it was used as a slur against her in 3rd grade. Naylor writes: "Words themselves are innocuous; it is the consensus that gives them true power". By itself, a word such as nigger should have no lasting impact. If a group unitedly agrees (consensus) that it is derogatory, then , when slung in a harmful way the word gains "power".
Interestingly, Naylor is not an advocate for ousting the word from our syntax. She reasons that it would still be on the "white mind" regardless. She also believes that use of the word among blacks, when used within the "rules" of language, renders the negative aspect of it "impotent". In Naylor's view, her black peers have "transformed" the word "nigger" to where it represents the complexity and varied nature of black people. Coming through loud and clear, however, is the negative impact it could have on someone not understanding the true nature of the expression (as she sees it).
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