ELA IV 2.17

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By Viviana Mendoza

Multiple Choice

Which excerpt from "Why Women Always Take Advantage of Men," best supports the inference that some women will fight back to avoid submitting to men. 

• “Oh, yes, womens is got sense too,” Mathilda Moseley jumped in. “But they got too much sense to go ’round braggin’ about it like y’all do. De lady people always got de advantage of mens because God fixed it dat way.”

• He told her, “Long as you obey me, Ah’ll be good to yuh, but every time yuh rear up Ah’m gointer put plenty wood on yo’ back and plenty water in yo’ eyes.” 
  
  De woman was so mad she went straight up to Heben and stood befo’ de Lawd.

Multiple Choice

CFU #1: “Oh, yes, womens is got sense too,” Mathilda Moseley jumped in. “But they got too much sense to go ’round braggin’ about it like y’all do. De lady people always got de advantage of mens because God fixed it dat way.”

“Whut ole black advantage is y’all got?” B. Moseley asked indignantly. “We got all de strength and all de law and all de money and you can’t git a thing but whut we jes’ take pity on you and give you.” 

“And dat’s jus’ de point,” said Mathilda triumphantly. “You do give it to us, but how come you do it?” And without waiting for an answer Mathilda began to tell why women always take advantage of men.

Which choice best represents the author's purpose in the folktale?

• The folktale is designed to portray men and women as constantly battling for control.

• The folktale is an explanation of the origins of women's control over men.

Multiple Choice

"Cinderella, the Legend"

The Perrault version places great emphasis on the “midnight” prohibition given to Cinderella. Like the old conduct manuals for ladies, the moral of the tale warns against feminine excursions as well as ambition.  

"Why Women Always Take Advantage of Men"

So de man run all de way down de stairs from Heben till he got home. He was so anxious to try his strength on de woman dat he couldn’t take his time. Soon’s he got in de house he hollered “Woman! Here’s yo’ boss. God done tole me to handle you whichever way Ah please. Ah’m yo’ boss.” 

Which choice best explains how both texts depict the power dynamics between men and women?

• Both texts explore how women have been subjugated in various ways and forced into positions of abasement by men.

• Both texts explore the role women play in accepting submissive positions due to socialization.

I can...

-Evaluate a folktale and literary critique through a feminist perspective.

Open Ended

(Chunk 1) What is the central disagreement between George Thomas (and B. Moseley) and Mathilda Moseley regarding the source and nature of power between men and women?

Open Ended

(Chunk 1) How does the initial conversation limit women's power by defining it only as a "tongue" or "hips," suggesting men see women's influence as weak or trivial?

Open Ended

(Chunk 2) Why did the initially equal relationship between the man and the woman break down, and what specific action did the man take to permanently change the dynamic?

Open Ended

(Chunk 2) The man's goal is to "whip dis 'oman and make her mind." What does this goal reveal about his fear of equality and his desire for total control over the woman?

Open Ended

(Chunk 3) When the woman appeals to God after being beaten, what two key reasons does God give for why the man now has power and why the woman cannot immediately regain her former status?

Open Ended

(Chunk 3) God refuses to reverse the power imbalance, saying, "Whut Ah give, Ah never take back." How does this refusal symbolize the difficulty of undoing a patriarchal system once it is established?

Open Ended

(Chunk 4) After being rejected by God, where does the woman go, and what three specific areas of the man's life do the keys she obtains give her control over?

Open Ended

(Chunk 4) The keys control the kitchen, bedroom, and cradle. Why are these three domestic areas significant feminist tools, and how do they allow the woman to gain power without physical strength?

Multiple Choice

“Oh, yes, womens is got sense too,” Mathilda Moseley jumped in. “But they got too much sense to go ’round braggin’ about it like y’all do. De lady people always got de advantage of mens because God fixed it dat way.”

“Whut ole black advantage is y’all got?” B. Moseley asked indignantly. “We got all de strength and all de law and all de money and you can’t git a thing but whut we jes’ take pity on you and give you.” 

“And dat’s jus’ de point,” said Mathilda triumphantly. “You do give it to us, but how come you do it?” And without waiting for an answer Mathilda began to tell why women always take advantage of men.

Which choice best represents the author's purpose in the folktale?

• The folktale is designed to portray men and women as constantly battling for control.

• The folktale is an explanation of the origins of women's control over men.

In your group...
-Compare & contrast the issues raised by each author and the ideas/issues shared by both.

​SpringBoard Text P. 219

Multiple Choice

(CFU #2) "Cinderella, the Legend"

The Perrault version places great emphasis on the “midnight” prohibition given to Cinderella. Like the old conduct manuals for ladies, the moral of the tale warns against feminine excursions as well as ambition.  

"Why Women Always Take Advantage of Men"

So de man run all de way down de stairs from Heben till he got home. He was so anxious to try his strength on de woman dat he couldn’t take his time. Soon’s he got in de house he hollered “Woman! Here’s yo’ boss. God done tole me to handle you whichever way Ah please. Ah’m yo’ boss.” 

Which choice best explains how both texts depict the power dynamics between men and women?

• Both texts explore how women have been subjugated in various ways and forced into positions of abasement by men.

• Both texts explore the role women play in accepting submissive positions due to socialization.