Sor Juana Day II

"But in truth, my Lady, what can we women know, save philosophies of the kitchen? It was well put by Lupercio Leonardo that one can philosophize quite well while preparing supper... Had Aristotle cooked, he would have written a great deal more."75

Above are a combination of quotations concerning whether women should study or not. I found this to be a very interesting way of showing that women should have the same opportunity to study as men. Sor Juana says that she had a mother superior who forbade them from studying, but she points out that reading books is not the only way to study. Whenever she observes anything around her and draws conclusions from her observations she is studying. She gives us some insight into the way her mind works when she notes all of these things like the way the human eye sees things curved or how a spinning top does not go in circles but spirals as it looses momentum. She is clearly always thinking and learning from her surroundings even when she is forbidden to read. THis shows ignorance on the part of those who would teach women not to read because they cannot study.

"And so just is this distinction that not only women, who are held to be so incompetent, but also men, who simply because they are men think themselves wise, are to be prohibited from the interpretation of the Sacred World, save when they are most learned, virtous, of amenable intellect and inclined to the good."

This quote essentially argues Sor Juana's entire point, that she should not be persecuted for studying and interpreting the Bible because she is a woman. She does not argue that all women should be allowed to because some do not have the proper skill etc. But this holds true for men as well. She makes an excellent point by saying that men assume they are wise simply because they are men. This is obviously not the case because there are stupid people everywhere, men and women alike.