Eve was not taken out of Adam’s head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.
—Matthew Henry
Unit Goals
After learning the unit, students are expected to be able
·to understand women’s characteristics and status,
·to know Doris Lessing and her writing skills,
·to identify gender and class conflicts in the selection,
·to appreciate Jane Austen and her typical concerns,
·to master the useful expressions in the writings, and
·to improve language proficiency and critical thinking through the content of this unit.
Before You Read
1.Discuss the following questions with your partner.
1)How are men and women different? Can these different characteristics justify gender discrimination against women?
2)What feminine qualities or traits attract men? Why?
3)What does “New Women”mean?
4)How do you view class division? Do you think certain people are inferior to others due to their careers or personal backgrounds? Why or why not?
2.Express your ideas on the following remarks about women.
1) No matter what a woman looks like, if she’s confident, she’s sexy.—Paris Hilton
2) Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus.—John Gray
3) The fear of women is the beginning of knowledge.—Gelett Burgess
4) You are going to women? Do not forget the whip!—Friedrich Nietzsche
5) Don’t wait for the good woman.She doesn’t exist.—Charles Bukowski
3.Form groups of three or four students.Try to find, on the Internet or in the library, information about Doris Lessing and her famous works.Prepare a presentation about the author, her writing styles and special concerns.
Start to Read