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Pandora Was a Feminist

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Pandora Was a Feminist
ENG4U1 Seminar Essays : Thought and Style

Mary Meigs

Essay Thought
Purpose , Audience & Point of View
• The purpose of this essay was to convey to the reader that tales of the old are all feminist. The author uses three main points throughout the essay: Eve's apples, Pandora's Box, and Bluebeard's wives. • The target audience of this essay was somebody who understood the tales, because the author doesn't retell them throughout the essay. • This essay is written in a first person point of view, evident by Mary Meigs's multiple uses of the word I, and its variations (I'm, etc).

Essay Thought

Organizational Pattern
• The author organizes the essay in a Cause and Effect pattern. Through this pattern, the author attempts to persuade us that the curiosity of a women is always punished.
An example of this pattern :

with Eve, Pandora and the wives of Bluebeard for being so foolish, for
* Sequential : The Box(Pandora) , The apples (Eve) , The secret room (Wives of Bluebeard)

Essay Thought

Thesis
Curiosity is a natural characteristic of humankind. But men are rewarded for their curiosity and women are punished for theirs.
* Also the author’s main argument

Essay Thought

Supporting Arguments
• Men are rewarded for their curiosity and women are punished for theirs. • Secrets should be released with confidence and self belief.

How it makes the essay ineffective
• Pandora was not punished by Zeus for opening the box.
• Adam was also punished along with Eve for disobeying God. • Bluebeard lost his life due to the curiosity of his wife, who inherited all his treasures

Essay Thought

Supporting illustrations
"Women's curiosity is always punished," I remarked to Paul, a male friend. "Pandora's, Eve's, Bluebeard's Wives." "Of course" he says. "Evil is woman's fault, That's part of
Meigs, 159

 This attempts to support the essay, by pointing out that many things, even jokes, to give evidence to women being punished for disobedience, and thus are considered "evil".
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