Montgomery College / Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus
Prof. Victoria Baldassano
EN 101/A: Questions for “The Roots of War” by Barbara Ehrenreich,
p. 598 The Bedford Reader, 10th edition
In Class Writing Assignment
1) Ehrenreich starts her essay by describing certain biological theories
of war, and then refuting those theories. What are the theories she
refutes? Why does she say that biological theories cannot fully explain
the causes of war? List the reasons.
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2) Find the thesis. Hint: Ehrenreich’s thesis comes in two parts. The
first part can be found in par. 5; the second part is in par. 10.
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3) Ehrenreich starts building her thesis in par. 4. War has a tendency
toward “epidemicity” she says. What does she mean? How does this
concept contribute to her thesis in par. 5?
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Page 2 / Ehrenreich
4) In par. 8, Ehrenreich argues that the word “addiction” is not precise
enough to describe the human relationship with war. That relationship
is more like “parasitism” or even “predation,” she argues. What do
these words mean? Under Ehrenreich’s theory, how can war be
stopped? Hint: part of the answer is in par. 9.
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5) In par. 6, the author contrasts three forms of political and social
organization. What are they, and how does this comparison support
her larger point?
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