Exploring the Text

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  1. How effective are the rhetorical questions in the opening of Judith Sargent Murray’s essay? Explain.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - How effective are the rhetorical questions in the opening of Judith Sargent Murray’s essay? Explain.
  2. Murray states that “intellectual powers [may] be ranged under these four heads—imagination, reason, memory and judgment” (par. 1) Do you agree? How would you order them in importance?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Murray states that “intellectual powers [may] be ranged under these four heads—imagination, reason, memory and judgment” (par. 1) Do you agree? How would you order them in importance?
  3. What might be viewed as ironic in her discussion of imagination? Does that irony help or harm her argument? Explain.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - What might be viewed as ironic in her discussion of imagination? Does that irony help or harm her argument? Explain.
  4. Murray asks, “Are we deficient in reason?” (par. 2). Analyze the argument she offers in response to her own question. Is it cogent? Explain.

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - Murray asks, “Are we deficient in reason?” (par. 2). Analyze the argument she offers in response to her own question. Is it cogent? Explain.
  5. What does she imply by saying, “Memory, I believe, will be allowed us in common” (par. 2)?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - What does she imply by saying, “Memory, I believe, will be allowed us in common” (par. 2)?
  6. In paragraph 3, Murray presents a hypothetical situation: “Now, was she permitted the same instructors as her brother…” What she offers as conjecture regarding education of the sexes in her time has in fact transpired since then. To what extent do women now benefit from the results she indicates?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - In paragraph 3, Murray presents a hypothetical situation: “Now, was she permitted the same instructors as her brother…” What she offers as conjecture regarding education of the sexes in her time has in fact transpired since then. To what extent do women now benefit from the results she indicates?
  7. What is the rhetorical effect of the parallelisms in the second sentence of paragraph 6?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - What is the rhetorical effect of the parallelisms in the second sentence of paragraph 6?
  8. While Murray argues for the equality of the sexes in terms of the intellect and the soul, she acknowledges some differences as well. What are they? How does her acknowledgment affect the cogency of her argument?

    Question

    ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=
    Exploring the Text: - While Murray argues for the equality of the sexes in terms of the intellect and the soul, she acknowledges some differences as well. What are they? How does her acknowledgment affect the cogency of her argument?