PART 1
In this Unit, you identified the topic and theme of a text. Some possible themes or central arguments in Sojourner Truth’s text include:
· “Men tend to underestimate women”
· “Women can be just as strong as men, and deserve to be treated equally.”
In this writing assignment, you will relate a theme from this speech given over 170 years ago to a theme that is still relevant today.
Reflection assignment
Think about this question: What individuals or groups of people are underestimated in our society today?
1. After reading and analyzing Truth’s argument, think about how you or someone you know has been underestimated. Compare this situation to Sojourner Truth’s situation in 1851. Sojourner argues that women can be just as strong as men and should be treated equally. What argument could you make about a similar situation in 2020? Include at least 3 specific details to support your claim. Start your paragraph with the statement:
Intro:Sojourner truth argues that women are underestimated and deserve equal treatment and respect. Today, I see _________ is/are underestimated. I have seen this when_______________.
Topic sentence that argues for a change:
Detail #1:
Commentary:
Detail 2:
Commentary
Detail 3:
Commentary:
Concluding sentence:
Example:
Intro: Sojourner Truth argues that women are underestimated and deserve equal treatment and respect. Today, I see that I am underestimated by my parents. I have seen this whenever I ask about getting my own car. They think I’m not responsible to pay for all the expenses of owning a vehicle.
Topic sentence: I am old enough and responsible enough to get a car.
Detail #1: I have had a job for two years and I have saved half of my paychecks.
Commentary 1 : Holding a job and saving money proves I’m responsible with my time and my money.
Detail 2: I paid for my own driver’s education class.
Commentary 2: If I paid for that, they should trust me to pay for my own insurance and gas.
Detail 3: I got a perfect score on the driver tests.
Commentary 3: I’m the only one in my class to get a perfect score. Clearly, I studied hard, and that shows responsibility. It also proves that I understand all the laws about license and insurance.
Concluding sentence: My track record with my job and drivers education classes should prove to my parents that I’m not an irresponsible teenager, and encourage them to allow me to buy my own vehicle.