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Isaac Spanier
English 250 NP
2/7/2017
Egyptian Roots of Feminism Reaction
In todays culture, modern feminism has gathered a lot of ground. Modern feminism is a

hot topic for debate among western countries. An article published by Khaled Diab entitled

Egyptian Roots of Feminism talks about how society in the west adapted the idea to empower

women. (1) Diab expands and develops the idea that feminism was originally developed by

ancient Egyptians and explains how Egypt was a land of gender equality for many centuries.

Diab delivers a clear and organized argument by dividing his topics into sections, by choosing

effective words and by restating his argument throughout the paper. Diabs argument compels the

reader to understand his side on the origins of feminism.

Diab organizes his article into sections that layout his argument in a very straightforward

way. His three sections contain one specific idea that help him argue his point even better. In

each section, he brings in new information and relates it back to his argument. Also, he

references the western civilizations, proving his point that Egyptian feminism was indeed a

predecessor to that of western feminism. In addition, he states that Egyptian feminism inspired

todays western feminism. Diabs argument relies on the information he is giving the audience

and his credibility. The authors credibility is referenced in the opening paragraph stating his

background and his expertise in the field. Diab is referenced as being an author of a book entitled

Initimate Enemies, which is about living with the Israelis and Palestinians. This background

ensures the reader that Diab is an informed writer that can be trusted. So, his expertise combined

with his organization makes Diabs piece more credible and trustworthy.
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Also, Diab gives an effective persuasive essay through his word choice. In addition to his

organization, his key placement of certain words help him portray the message that he wants to

get across. For example, the usage of the word cradle helps portray a good connotation. (1)

The typical reader when seeing cradle will think of a babys cradle and will most likely have a

good feeling towards the word. The word Diab uses is to describe talking about each Egypt. The

word choice throughout the piece helps Diabs readers makes the connections that he wants them

to make. He uses words with a positive pathos to push his argument and effectively portray his

thesis. Pushing the idea of Egypt as the cradle of gender equality, Diab picks his words carefully

to ensure that readers will understand his message. Even if a reader isnt fully aware of the idea

being presented, he might understand the general idea through the words being used. Words have

a powerful presence in works such as this and Diab makes the most it.

Lastly, a persuasive tactic that Diab uses is the repetition of his main argument. He is

constantly referring to Egypt being an influence to the modern culture and feminism. Diab

references or restates his argument throughout his article. Also, he makes sure that the reader

fully understands his point and draws connections between what he is saying and his main

argument. Diab understands that restating his main point will make it easier to remember the

message after reading it. Also, he understands the importance of relating his points to argument

to ensure continuity. The author uses his method repetition to enhance his article and improve his

argument.

Overall Khaled Diab makes an effective argument in his article The Egyptian Roots of

Feminism. He uses clear sections in which he divides his argument, uses precise words, and

repeats his main argument to help enhance his article. His argument is well developed and laid

out and he does an effective job persuading his audience to take his stance on the topic. He
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achieved his main goal of humbling the western countries and have them attribute modern day

feminism back to its roots in ancient Egpyt.

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Work Cited

Diab, Khaled. The Egyptian Roots of Feminism. Aljazeera. Feb 3, 2017.