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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How has the author's own perception of her book held up?

2. "The problem that has no name" is a quotation by which author?

3. In the first chapter, how does the author characterize the perspective of the women involved in the early feminist movement?

4. At the end of the Preface to the second edition, where does the author maintain that a feminist path will lead us?

5. According to the author, how did early feminists see gender?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who harbors sexist attitudes and what can be done about it?

2. Are there tensions around female heterosexuality within the feminist movement?

3. In Chapter Eight, "Educating Women - A Feminist Agenda," what does the author encourage black women to do regarding education and academic work?

4. Does the author still believe in her work?

5. Which two kinds of power does the author discuss in Chapter Six, "Changing Perspectives on Power"?

6. Does the author offer any ideas about how to create sisterhood?

7. Describe the early feminist view on parenting stated in Chapter Ten, "Revolutionary Parenting."

8. Why does the author want to change feminist language from "I am a feminist" to "I advocate feminism"?

9. What is the author's view of feminism as a social movement in the Preface to the First Edition (1984)? What kind of movement does it need to be and why?

10. In chapter Nine, "Feminist Movement to End Violence," how does the author describe the patriarchal perspective on gender.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Essay on Ch. 6: Traditional and alternative models of power.

In Ch. 6 the author elaborates on traditional and alternative models of power and their relationship to women and the feminist movement. Discuss the central points of her analysis.

1) First, provide a brief definition of traditional and alternative models of power.

2) Next, discuss how and why early feminists understood and reacted to power.

3) Follow with a discussion of the author's observation about these feminists' ambivalent relationship to male-defined models of power.

4) Finally discuss how and why the author sees women of color and working class white women as examples of alternative models of power.

5) How do you view her assessment?

Essay Topic 2

Essay on Ch. 10: Motherhood.

In Ch. 10, the author discusses views on motherhood, both feminist and traditional.

1) Describe traditional beliefs about motherhood mentioned by the author.

2) Next, describe and discuss early feminist reactions to motherhood.

3) Do early feminist beliefs and reactions concerning motherhood challenge and change, or simply reject traditional beliefs?

Essay Topic 3

Essay on Ch. 7: Women and work.

From the beginning of the feminist movement, work has been an important issue in feminism. In this paper you will discuss early feminist views of work, as well as the idea of a gendered division of labor (e.g. housework as women's work, and therefore as devalued).

1) Describe traditional beliefs about work and gender. What kind of work was seen as men's work and what kind of work was seen as women's work? Do we still see these ideas reflected in contemporary society?

2) Quoting the text, discuss early feminist views of housework and of work outside the home. Does the rejection of housework by women reflect society's devaluation of so-called "women's work."

3) What is the author's critique of this early view, e.g. how is the early feminist idealization of work outside the home connected to traditional beliefs about success?

4) How can changing attitudes about work in and outside of the home assist in addressing the imbalances perpetuated by traditional, gender-biased beliefs?

(see the answer keys)

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