Sojourner Truthby Joanna EvansThe fight for suffrage drives a wedge between a spirited young woman and her mother. . . .CharactersNARRATORREBECCA, 17 years oldMAMA, her motherBEFORE RISE: NARRATOR enters, addresses audience.NARRATOR: Did you know that women in the United States weren’t allowed to vote until 1920? That’s when the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, extending voting rights to all women. If you do your math, you’ll find that women couldn’t vote for nearly 150 years after our nation was created out of the Revolutionary War. . .talk about injustice!1 of 14QuestionUse the passage to answer the question.Both Rebecca’s father and Sojourner Truth are influential in the play, but neither of them appears. In 3-5 sentences, draw conclusions about why the playwright did not include these characters in the play’s action.(4 points)

Answer 1

The absence of both Rebecca’s father and Sojourner Truth in the play's action emphasizes the focus on the relationships and struggles of women in the fight for suffrage. By not including these male figures, the playwright may be highlighting the central role that women, particularly Rebecca and her mother, play in advocating for their rights and shaping their identities. This choice also allows for a more concentrated exploration of the generational conflict between Rebecca and her mother regarding the suffrage movement, underscoring the personal stakes of this historical struggle. Ultimately, their absence reinforces the theme of women's empowerment and the significance of their voices in a male-dominated society.