Document 7: W. E. B. Du Bois publicly embraced the cause of woman suffrage after he moved north in 1907.

The signs of awakening womanhood in the world to-day are legion. The best novelists are women. Some of the keenest essayists and graceful writers of verse are women. Women are among the greatest leaders of Social Reforms. Of course there are fools a plenty to tell them they don't need the ballot and to feed them the ancient taffy about homes and babies.

Q11. Du Bois claimed “Of course there are fools a plenty to tell them they don't need the ballot and to feed them the ancient taffy about homes and babies.” What does Du Bois mean by “ancient taffy about home and babies”?

My Answer: It means the women are belonging to a traditional style like the time long ago; they should be a staying home who focus on the housework and take care of their babies.

In this sentence, "taffy" must mean myth or nonsense.

Thank you Ms.Sue. I correct my answer and do you mind to check it again for me. Thanks again :)

Answer: It means the women are belonging to a traditional style like the time long ago, which they should be a staying home to focus on the housework and take care of their babies. But in fact this is a myth, it’s an idea that many people believe should be like that, but which is not true.

Good.

To determine the meaning of "ancient taffy about homes and babies" as used by W. E. B. Du Bois, we can look at the surrounding context and analyze the phrases separately.

In the given document, Du Bois is discussing the signs of awakening womanhood and the contributions of women in various fields such as literature and social reforms. He then states, "Of course there are fools a plenty to tell them they don't need the ballot and to feed them the ancient taffy about homes and babies."

Here, the phrase "ancient taffy about homes and babies" seems to refer to outdated, traditional beliefs or stereotypes about women's roles and responsibilities. The use of the term "ancient" suggests that these ideas are antiquated and no longer applicable in modern society.

Moreover, the mention of "homes and babies" indicates that these traditional beliefs center around women's confinement to domestic roles, prioritizing their duties within the household and raising children. By referring to these ideas as "taffy," Du Bois implies that they are insubstantial or superficial arguments used to dismiss the importance of women's suffrage.

In summary, when Du Bois states "ancient taffy about homes and babies," he is criticizing the outdated notions that limit women's roles to just homemakers and caregivers, suggesting that these arguments are unconvincing and should not be used to deny women the right to vote.