: She pointed out the absurdity of a system that punishes a woman for bringing children into the world while ignoring those who "avoid marriage" and "produce nothing for the public good".
: Polly argued that while she was being whipped and fined, the men involved—including a magistrate who had fathered one of her children—suffered no legal or social consequences. Polly Baker
: The speech was so convincing that many contemporary readers believed Polly was a real person. Franklin’s hoax forced society to confront its own prejudices by giving a face and a voice to the "outcast". A Legacy of Satire : She pointed out the absurdity of a
Polly’s argument was that instead of a whipping, she deserved a for her contributions to the population. Her story eventually traveled to Europe, influencing thinkers like Diderot and appearing in the character Marceline in The Marriage of Figaro . Franklin’s hoax forced society to confront its own