We Should All Be Feminists

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Adichie argues that women frequently experience Small Injustices in their daily lives.

• Why do women, as opposed to men, often experience Small Injustices? (topic sentence)
• Find three examples from Adichie’s essay where women endure injustices as opposed to their male counterparts.
• In what ways are these injustices linked to the broader issue of gender norms? According to Adichie, how can men be better advocates for women when they experience such injustices?

2. Adichie makes the argument that Gendered Expectations are introduced early in the childrearing stage.

• In what ways are gender norms introduced to children at an early age? (topic sentence)
• Identify three examples from the text in which decisions made by parents in the childrearing process solidify Gendered Expectations for their young children.
• How is the process of childrearing linked to the broader discussion of socialization and societal expectations for men and women?

3. Adichie argues that culture is influential in shaping future generations of people.

• How is a people’s culture linked to the furtherance of gender norms? (topic sentence)
• Identify an example in which cultural traditions inform gendered behavior for both men and women.
• How can the reclamation of culture transform The Real Meaning of Feminism?

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. How do the differing gendered expectations of marriage impact the way men and women understand the term “feminism”? Based on her remarks, how do you think Adichie views the institution of marriage?

2. In your opinion, what was Adichie’s intention behind her title “We Should All Be Feminists,” and how effective was it in reflecting the content of her speech? How might the title have a different meaning to men as opposed to women? Evaluate how Adichie makes the case that feminism is a cause for all people regardless of gender.

3. Adichie alternates between using humorous and blunt tones throughout the essay. How do you think her change in tone affects how viewers or readers perceive her argument? Evaluate examples of her use of each tone and explain how they contribute to the overall effectiveness of her argument.