This is one of the few prompts that I have responded to that I feel strongly undermines the gender of woman. From my understanding of the novel Ruth Hall, not only did she go to school but she graduated from a prepatory school environment at a higher institution of learning. The prompt above is saying the exact opposite of that. Here the prompt suggests that because of no "formal classical education" women were not portrayed as writers. I guess Fanny Fern proved this prompt wrong.
Another suggestion that was made here, which I also don't agree with is that women tended to gravitate towards the "professional" jobs versus the jobs of artistry. Once again, in using the same novel as a model, I must point out that the main character, who portrays her author tended to lean towards the "arts" to sustain her living. She started off looking for a "professional" position but ended up finding her niche writing, which is considered an "art form". I find myself completely shaking my head at this prompt, for I find no truth in it, and using only one novel, I find myself proving that this prompt just isn't the case. Upon reviewing our syllabus, I find that we do have Emily Dickinson listed, and if I am not mistaken she is female, and her forte was also writing! This prompt really seems to me more like food for thought, than anything else.