Brandon Scribner

Comp 201

Dr. Amystique Harris Church

2/10/18

A peaceful woman explains why she carries a gun

Comprehension:

3. Hasslestrom had tried both to avoid dangerous situations by always being on her toes and
paying attention to her surroundings. These methods only work for so long because in the instance that
she is caught in trouble, she would have no way to defend herself. Hasslestrom then started practicing
Kung Fu, and this worked for her in the sense that she became more confident with her stride and was
able to evade and be more cautious to not fight head to head. She also was aware that only weighing
120 pounds she would never be able to fight off someone much larger than her.

Purpose and Audience:

3. I believe that the essay targets both groups. I believe this because the author both gives
reasoning for women to carry a concealed weapon both with her own experiences but also with
statistics. The statistics could also be useful to those predatory males. If the males read closely
Hasslestrom gave them a hint that a large percentage of women have started to purchase handguns for
self-defense.

4. I do not think the author is trying to sway people everywhere about getting handguns, but to
that effect she does make a clear point in her last story. She stated twice that she continued to ask
politely, and the men did not listen until she had point out that she was armed.

Style and Structure:

2. Hasslestrom’s main reason was that she was so vulnerable because she lived alone on a ranch
that was miles away from neighbors or town. Other reason would be her continued pace of getting into
situations that was dangerous, her small frame and inability to defend herself, and the fact that she
travels alone so frequently.

3. I do not think that just because you are a woman you HAVE to concealed carry, many women
would never have been in similar situations that Hasslestrom was placed into. I do not also think that is
the author point. I think this essay was a nudge for women out there that have been contemplating
what to do for their safety without being a direct PSA for the endangered women society.