Question

Purpose and Perspective - Speech to the Ohio Women’s Conference: Ain’t I a Woman

Reread paragraphs 8 and 9 of the speech. Then answer the multiple-choice questions that follow.

From “Speech to the Ohio Women’s Conference: Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth, Account by Marius Robinson, Anti-Slavery Bugle, 1851
8 As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart—why can't she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much—for we can't take more than our pint'll hold.

9 The poor men seems to be all in confusion and don't know what to do. Why children, if you have woman's rights, give it to her and you will feel better. You will have your own rights, and they won't be so much trouble.

A metaphor is an implied comparison between two unlike things to help readers understand the object of comparison better. What metaphor does Truth create in this excerpt?

Answer choices for the above question

A. Intellect is compared to a container.

B. Men are compared to confused children.

C. Pints are compared to quarts.

D. Women are compared to trouble.
Truth’s use of metaphor conveys her purpose by—

Answer choices for the above question

A. entertaining an idea shared by men that women have no intellect at all, so they should not be worried.

B. explaining that women have more intellect than men and should be given more rights than men.

C. showing men that equality between the sexes will result in women becoming smarter than men.

D. persuading men that women’s rights will not affect their own.

Answer 1

Sojourner Truth uses a metaphor in her speech, comparing intellect to a container, to emphasize the notion that giving women their rights does not infringe upon men's rights, as everyone should have the full measure of their abilities recognized and respected. The correct answer is for 8. option A. and for 9. option D

Step-by-step explanation:

In Sojourner Truth's "Speech to the Ohio Women’s Conference: Ain’t I a Woman?", she employs a metaphor by comparing intellect to a container to argue for women's rights. She suggests that even if a woman's intellect is perceived as less (pint) compared to a man's (quart), it does not justify denying her the full measure of her abilities. The metaphor serves to persuade men that granting women their rights would not harm men's rights, as women cannot take more than their due—their 'pint.'

The correct answer to the multiple-choice questions would thus be: A. Intellect is compared to a container, and D. persuading men that women’s rights will not affect their own. Truth's metaphorical language effectively underscores her argument that intellectual ability should not determine one's rights and that granting women rights will not limit the rights of men.