"It was only a few years ago that she had first laid eyes on him at her father’s house, meeting his gaze that weighed up her beauty and priced it before offering the dowry." In the above quote, what associations do you have with the words "weighed up" and "priced"? What do those words make you think of? What images or feelings do they bring to mind?
The words "weighed up" and "priced" in the quote suggest a sense of evaluation, judgment, and transaction. It conveys the idea that the man was assessing the woman's worth, potentially based on her physical appearance or other qualities, and assigning a value to her in the form of a dowry. This implies a transactional view of relationships and marriage, where a woman's value is determined by material considerations. The words evoke a sense of objectification and commodification, making me think of traditional societal norms and gender roles that reduce women to commodities to be bought and sold. The image of a man appraising a woman's worth like a piece of property or merchandise comes to mind, creating a feeling of unease or discomfort.
