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Susan Sontag: A Woman’s Beauty: Put-Down or Power Source?

Susan Sontag: A Woman’s Beauty: Put-Down or Power Source?

This activity contains 3 questions.

	Consider the extent to which you agree (or disagree) with Sontag regarding what she says about the plight of contemporary women with respect to beauty. To what extent are men responsible for women’s obsession with beauty? To what extent are women themselves responsible? Explain.   To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

	Sontag makes a brief historical excursion to consider the place of beauty in classical Greek culture and in early Christian times. How effective is this excursion into history? How important is it for Sontag’s argument? And how persuasive is Sontag’s use of these references?   To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

	Do your own little study of women’s attitudes to beauty by surveying women you know in varying age groups. Consider both what they say and what they do with regard to the use of beauty products. Write up your findings and your analysis of the significance of beauty for women today.   To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

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