What is Gould's primary purpose in opening and closing the essay with a quotation from George Eliot?
I. To add cohesion to the essay II. To highlight a woman whose life refutes the arguments Gould addresses III. To emphasize that she wrote under a pseudonym
Gould’s primary purpose is to 1) add cohesion to the essay and 2) to highlight a woman whose life refutes the argument. By having a quote that extends from the beginning of the essay to the end of the essay, there is a theme that carries through the essay. Since the essay is so short, the cohesion is strengthened even more so.
Furthermore, by highlighting a woman whose life refutes the argument, Gould acknowledges the strengths of the other side instead of just including the weaknesses of the other side. That’s how one builds credibility, and it’s one good way to make sure that the respectable people in the field read it and give it thought. Gould knows what he is doing.