- How do you think the mention of Mary and Jesus is significant to Truth’s argument?
- How does Truth unveil the hypocrisy of white men and their treatment of women?
- Does Truth’s comparison of herself to a man, especially the “bear the lash” remark strengthen or weaken her argument? Why or why not?
- What does Truth compare “intellect” to and how is it relevant to her argument?
- Explain why or why not you agree with Truth when she says, “If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”
- Compare Gage’s and Robinson’s translations. Which translation seems to be a more accurate version of Truth’s speech? Why?
License
The Open Anthology of Earlier American Literature Copyright © 2016, 2017 by Timothy Robbins is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.