Author's Argument #3 (Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff & Sheryl Wudunn)

PRECIS.

            In Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl Wudunn’s book “Half the sky” (2009), chapters11 through 14, Kristoff and WuDunn explains the inequality towards women. The authors first use examples of women across the world; China and Congo, then they support their claim by using dialogues and direct interviews of some women- some which are victims. The authors’ purpose is to expose the inequality and unfairness towards women in general. Kristoff and WuDunn seems to have an emotional and concerned audience because they develop a passionate and informative tone.

VOCABULARY

·       Hudood (188): Islamic laws stating the limits ordained by Allah and including the deterrent punishments for serious crimes.

·       Profligate (193): recklessly prodigal or extravagant.

·       Retrospect (196): contemplation of the past; a survey of past time, events etc

·       Conciliatory (197): tending to win or gain. To make compatible; reconcile.

·       Forlorn (199): desolate or dreary; unhappy or miserable.

·       Excoriated (226): stripped off or removed skin. Denounced or berated severely.

·       Pernicious (228): deadly, fatal

TONE

Informative, Passionate

RHETORICAL STRATEGIES

·       Imagery: “A round faced woman with thick black hair that just barely peeks out from under her red-and-white-checked scarf, Saima is now a bit plump and displays a gold nose ring as well as several other rings and bracelets on each wrist.”(186). “Zainab Salbi is thin with olive skin and close-cropped black hair framing large, luminous eyes.” (216)

·       Rhetorical questions: “Does she buy from the local grocery store on credit? Does she pay utility bills?” (190) “So was it imperialism for Westerners to criticize foot binding and female infanticide?” (207)

·       Syllogism: “Because I always stayed in the house, I didn’t know other people and I was all on my own” (200)

·       Non sequitur: “A woman has so many parts to her body, life is very hard indeed.”(205)

·       Satire: “If culture were immutable, China would still be impoverished and Sheryl would be stumbling along on three- inch feet” (207)

·       Description: “Claudine is quiet, demure, soft spoken; her lips quivers occasionally as she tells her story in flat tones, but she is not obviously emotional” (214)

·       Telegraphic sentence: “Zainab was horrified.” (218)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Is microcredit also referred to as microfinance?
• Why the chapters were mostly narrated and described rather than using dialogues?
• Is it possible that any woman in the world can be abused? Are there exemptions?

INTERESTING, MEMORABLE QUOTATION.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” (233)