Q24

[nbysosk]

Hello,

The answer to this question is C (paradoxical), but I don't understand why these scholars are paradoxical. What is being the paradox here?

Thank you.

[ohthatpatrick]

The meaning of a 'paradox' is a self-contradiction.

The scholars brought up in line 32 are those who think the "golden age" theory is probably wrong.

The "golden age" theory is that life was better for women in colonial times than it was during the 19th century, i.e. that life got worse for women in the 19th century.

Since these scholars question the "golden age" theory, they must believe that life stayed the same or got better for women in the 19th century.

However, line 34 says these scholars still "accept the paradigm of a 19th century decline from a more desirable past".

Line 38 says that one of these scholars argues that the 19th century brought a loss of status and function for women, i.e. that life got worse for women in the 19th century.

So it's a self-contradiction, or paradoxical, for these scholars to argue that the "golden age" theory is wrong, but then still agree with it by saying that conditions got worse for women in the 19th century.

Hope this helps.

[matthew.mainen]

Could someone please share some words regarding answer (E) without merit? This seems to correspond to the authors view.