User:Juri.DP/sandbox

Wikipedia's The Speech of Polly Baker article for ENGL2131.01

Analysis of Article

Add here the issues you see with your current article that you might address. For instance: The introduction can be expanded and the following categories could all be added:

1. Summary: There needs to be more credible citation, and maybe the entire article itself could use revision in tone and presentation. The speech itself is presented as one continuous block paragraph, but maybe it can be separated for a scholastic effect.
2. Narrator & Point of View: These are fine. The tone just seems very passive and slightly vague.
3. Characters: Perhaps Polly Baker could be talked about more in the article. She's fictional, but she's the main focus and should be looked at a little deeper--or at least have a bit more focus.

Reading List

A numbered list of all your readings go here. Use the following format:

• Franklin, Benjamin. (1747). "The Speech of Miss. Polly Baker." The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 463-465.
• Aldridge, A. Owen. (2003). BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND POLLY BAKER.
• Kerry, Paul E. (2008). "Franklin's Satiric vein." The Cambridge Companion to Benjamin Franklin.
• Hoaxipedia. Trial of Polly Baker.
• Boswell, Parsley Ann. (2011). Benjamin Franklin's Standup Comic: The Speech of Miss. Polly Baker.
• Calaway, Jared C. (2002). Benjamin Franklin and Transgenderal Pseudonymity.
• Dunn, Elizabeth E. Benjamin Franklin's Religion.

Revised paragraph from article

Original

The speech of Polly Baker, before a Court of Judicature, at Connecticut near Boston in New England; where she was prosecuted the Fifth Time, for having a Bastard Child: Which influenced the Court to dispense with her Punishment, and induced one of her Judges to marry her the next day.

Revised

The speech of Polly Baker takes place before a Court of Judicature in Connecticut near Boston in New England. She is being prosecuted a fifth time for having a bastard child, which is a criminal offense at this point in history. After the court has declared the guilty verdict and dispensed her punishment, Miss. Polly Baker speaks up about the injustices done against women and the sexist, officious society in which they live in and how to court does more harm than good when it comes to punishments of this nature. Her logical and educated manner of speaking, and her troubling predicament, induced one of her Judges to marry her the next day.

Original Contribution

Despite being written by a man, the characteristics and burdens of Polly Baker portrays a very true portrayal of women of this time and many years both preceding and following. Polly Baker was not given a chance to defend herself in court because her crime was already decided by the court and, as they saw it, by nature itself. It was only after her verdict was declared that she was able to speak freely and explain herself, but even then she was not able to lessen her punishment. It was only after one of the judges decides to marry her that she was able to free herself, and it was only through the voice of a man--Benjamin Franklin--that her story was able to be told; in turn, it is only through the voice of a man that many women's stories were able to be told. While the points made in this speech are both accurate and true to the time, it is still a troubling that women's issues garnered more recognition or were taken into a more serious account when a man took an interest in it.

Notes

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