Question

wollstonecraft includes a series of rhetorical question in lines 157-169. how does her use of this device contribute to her purpose

Answer 1

Mary Wollstonecraft employs rhetorical questions to engage readers in a critical reflection on the social order and the role of women, aiming to provoke thought and highlight the need for gender equality and rational education.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mary Wollstonecraft uses a series of rhetorical questions in her work to challenge the reader to reflect on the status of women and the social order of the time. Her use of this literary device contributes to her purpose by provoking thought, stimulating a critical examination of prevailing notions about gender roles, and highlighting the inconsistencies and injustices in the logic that underpins the societal placement of women. By engaging readers this way, she not only compels them to question their own beliefs but also underscores the strength of her arguments in advocating for women's rights and education.

Specifically, the rhetorical questions force the audience to confront the contradictions in the arguments against women's suffrage and education. Similar to how other defenders of equality like Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Cady Stanton used their intellect to counterpersuade, Wollstonecraft's questions urge the readers to see the flaws in a patriarchal system and to envision a more rational and equitable social order founded on reason, as she imagines in her writings.

Answer 2

to help the reader draw their own conclusion about whether they agree with the points being made for themselves. Essentially, even though there is no answer required, the conclusion inevitably coincides with the points Wollstonecraft has crafted.