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

Short Answer Questions

1. Following the author's reasoning, what does a societal trend towards women identifying with and pursuing male models of power show?

2. What do these accepted beliefs about motherhood manifest for the author?

3. What notion about women and power do both sexist and traditional feminist culture share?

4. In the author's opinion, how did early feminists view violence against women?

5. How did many lower/middle class and/or non-white women respond to this view of work?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Essay on Ch. 5: Men and feminism.

In Ch. 5, the author looks at the relationship between men and the feminist movement.

1) Describe and discuss early feminist views of men as "the enemy."

2) What is the author's critique of this early view? How do race and class figure into her argument?

3) The author also makes the potentially controversial statement that "all men support and perpetuate sexism and sexist oppression in one form or another...."

What does she mean by this statement? Do you think that it is in conflict with her call to see men as comrades in the feminist struggle? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Essay on Ch. 2 and 10: Ideas about the family.

Looking at Ch. 2 and Ch. 10 compare and contrast early and/or mainstream feminist ideas about the family with those of less privileged women.

- Did women of color and lower class women agree with mainstream feminist views on the family? What was their reaction?

- How does the author describe the relationship to family experience by many women of color, especially in relation to the broader society in which they live?

Essay Topic 3

Essay on the two Prefaces, Ch. 12, and the book as a unit: Personal review of the book.

In the two Prefaces, the author introduces the notion of revolutionary feminism. She explains what it is and why U.S. feminism has not created revolutionary change. The author reintroduces the term in Ch. 12.

1) Review the homework in which you discussed the term "revolutionary." Has your understanding of the author's definition of revolutionary feminism expanded after reading the book? How?

2) Do you feel that the book itself is revolutionary?

3) Do you see any areas of the book that seem contradictory?

4) Does the book ultimately achieve its objective of being accessible to everyone?

5) Does society still need books such as this one to provide a "guiding light" for social change?

(see the answer keys)

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