Difference between revisions of "Week 5 Questions/Comments-327 09"
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I particularly like how John writes, "But your letter was the first intimation that another tribe more numerous and powerful than all the rest were grown discontented." I have the feeling that he is kind of mocking her by saying that this is the first he has ever heard of women being discontented with their social status. But, what he says about women being the biggest "tribe" of them all is correct because if all the women decided to ban together under one common goal, they could deny the men everything until they got what they wanted. This is unrealistic, though, because to make it effective, most if not all women would have to have a common goal to reform, and (especially at that time), it appears that not all women cared enough to have a political say in things, etc. -Kristina.S. | I particularly like how John writes, "But your letter was the first intimation that another tribe more numerous and powerful than all the rest were grown discontented." I have the feeling that he is kind of mocking her by saying that this is the first he has ever heard of women being discontented with their social status. But, what he says about women being the biggest "tribe" of them all is correct because if all the women decided to ban together under one common goal, they could deny the men everything until they got what they wanted. This is unrealistic, though, because to make it effective, most if not all women would have to have a common goal to reform, and (especially at that time), it appears that not all women cared enough to have a political say in things, etc. -Kristina.S. | ||
| − | + | So, Abigail Adams is pretty much awesome, right? In these letters we’ve got her threatening to start a rebellion if the ladies are ignored. Obviously, she is joking to a certain extent, but her use of the patriot’s rhetoric is interesting: “we will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation (128).” Sounds familiar, but John Adams conveniently ignores her fair points, though he does pay the ladies a “compliment” about how their “Tribe is more numerous and powerful than all the rest.” He throws back a few snappy one-liners and shows he can use hot button words too, particularly about “the Despotism of the Peticoat.” Still, Abigail gets the best line with: “That your sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit no dispute.” It seems that though it is acceptable for women to have political sentiment, it doesn’t mean men will necessarily take it seriously. How surprising. I’m sure Abigail was quite objectionable to that dismissal and quite loud about it too. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in the Adams household! I'll bring the popcorn! -- Taylor Brann | |
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== Benjamin Rush, “Thoughts upon female education,” 1787 (Philadelphia) == | == Benjamin Rush, “Thoughts upon female education,” 1787 (Philadelphia) == | ||
