1a. What work has Truth done in her life? How many children did Truth have? What happened to them?
2a. What point is Truth making with her "pint" and "quart" analogy?
3a. How does Truth respond to the notion that women should not be given rights because Jesus was not a woman? What does she say "the first woman" was strong enough to do?
4a. Based on her speech, identify Truth's feelings toward each of the following topics: women, men, and slavery.
5a. Which of Truth's arguments is more effective, that women are as strong as men, or that women, as well as men, should be able to use the intelligence with which they are endowed?
1b. What types of strength does Truth demonstrate in these examples of her life?
2b. Why doesn't Truth argue how intelligent she is to prove her point about intellect?
3b. Why does Truth use biblical women in her arguments?
4b. Hypothesize whether Truth's attitudes toward these things might have been different had she been a wealthy, white woman who never worked, married happily, and saw her children thrive.
5b. Truth considers the opposing side's arguments when stating her opinions. Pick a topic in which you believe strongly and list two arguments that might be used against your position. How would you respond?
Argument and Repetition.Review the definitions for argument and repetition in the Handbook of Literary Terms. As you read the speech, you identified a list of arguments against and for women's rights from the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio. What phrase does Sojourner Truth repeat to punctuate each of her arguments in favor of women's rights? Explain the effect of this repeated phrase on her argument in general.
Colloquialism and Tone.Review the definitions of colloquialism and tone in the Handbook of Literary Terms. Examples of different tones that a work may have include familiar, ironic, playful, sarcastic, serious, and sincere. Identify the tone of Sojourner Truth's speech. What effect does the use of colloquial language have upon the tone? Explain whether you think Sojourner Truth's tone is well suited to her message.
1. Write a brief dialogue between two people using colloquial language. You may use colloquial language of modern times, or from an earlier time.
2. Write biographical paragraph about Sojourner Truth, based on what you know about her life from her speech.
3. Imagining you are Sojourner Truth, write an advice column response to a woman who doubts whether she deserves the same rights as men.
Changing Colloquial Speech. Rewrite the following sentences, replacing underlined colloquial language with standard language. Refer to the Language Arts Survey 3.2, "Formal and Informal English."
1. 'Twixt the racket and the hecklers, Sojourner Truth had a challenge delivering her speech at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio.
2. Them men in the back kept yelling out arguments why women shouldn't have equal rights.
3. One man actually said women shouldn't have equal rights 'cause Christ wasn't a woman.
4. Truth's refrain was "And ain't I a woman?"
5. Truth should of learned to read and write.
Avoiding Faulty Arguments. Review the Language Arts Survey 5.3, "Avoiding False Arguments and Propaganda." Then match the type of faulty arguments to a specific argument.
A. false analogy B. circularity C. fallacy of decomposition D. hasty generalization E. false dichotomy
1. Russia's form of government was once communism. Therefore, all Russians are communists.
2. An apple is a sweet, red fruit that grows on a tree. A strawberry is a sweet, red fruit. Therefore, it must grow on a tree.
3. If you are not with us, then you are against us.
4. Our school basketball team lost every game this season. Jared is on the basketball team. He must be a terrible basketball player.
5. Sojourner Truth was the best public speaker ever because she gave the best oral presentations.
