Freidan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. New York: Norton , 1963
Halberstam, David. The Fifties. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1993.
Matthews, Glenna. Just a Housewife. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fifties.htm
http://www.history.com/
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
After World War two, many of the millions of women working lost their jobs they occupied while the men were at war. It was during this time that 60% of the unemployment claims were made by women. Although so many women lost there jobs after the war, surveys taken while women were working during the war showed that many of these women fully intended on keeping the job they had, and most woman agreed that they enjoyed their independence and ability to earn and provide for their family. For some, it was imperative that she has a job. For instance, a single mother, or a woman of lower financial stability needed to work to either be the sole provider, or aid her husband who needed to work as well. The focus on my research however, will focus on the social shift that emerged in the 1950’s called the age of affluence or the golden age which spanned from the end of world war two, to the beginning of the 1960’s. It is interesting to see, that although there were some jobs considered acceptable for women to have such as nursing, teaching, and clerical job like secretaries, during the time of affluence in the 1950’s suburban America, a woman was not seen as the primary bread winner in the family nor was she encouraged to take a job at all.
The Suburban housewife did not have to work, instead because of financial stability and the social roles of motherhood and home-keeper that society now placed on women, women were often at home or running various errands. Many households at this time were able to afford two cars, one the husband would use to commute to work, and one the wife would use to run errands and pick up children from school. Because the suburbs were far from the city, and women during the week did not have too much time to socialize, they could go days without having any adult conversation “Suburban housing separated women from other adults, creating a feeling of isolation” (Halberstam 589). The fifties produced radio soap opera’s that woman would religiously commit to listening to, and also popular woman’s magazines. Many of these popular magazines, such as Redbook, Mademoiselle, and Lady’s Home Journal, were editions that were run and edited by men. Like other aspects of media, these magazines focused more on the role of the wife at home, and her need to keep her husband satisfied and run a smooth home. Titles of articles in these magazines during this time included, “What’s Wrong with American Women?” and “Women aren’t men”. The idea that a woman would want any independence for herself, in the eyes of society at the time was looked down upon and thought that a woman’s independence would counter what her natural role is. If the woman felt any discontent with her role as a housewife, or mother, or spouse, the blame was placed on the woman, and the idea was that there most is something wrong with the woman to want to go against her natural role as wife and mother. It is because of this that unhappiness and dissatisfaction among women was not discussed. It became a silent war with women against society. It has become my understanding through my research that there was mixed feelings among the women living in suburbia. There were many women that enjoyed their lifestyle, and yet many other felt emptiness in their lives. Betty Freidan, author of the Feminine Mystique, and a wife in suburbia during the fifties, notes that many women began to wonder if their lifestyle did not offer any more substance other than running the washing machine, and cooking dinner. There was often the thought of, “is this all” that was prevalent among the woman who wanted more.
The media reflected the same ideals of the happy housewife, when one looks at popular television shows at the time. For example the television family, The Stones on “The Donna Reed Show” was a television show where the housewife was completely content with her life-taking car of her husband and children. In comparison there was also I love Lucy, who was also a stay at home wife, but wanted desperately to share some of the limelight that her working husband had. Instead of getting support to gain success, Lucy’s husband very sternly always said no to her and she was almost always depicted as a clown of sorts for her meager attempts at stardom. Lucy, the determined housewife never gained the success she sought, but in “The Donna Reed Show” the wife shows that her success is by keeping a good home. Recently there have been films made that comment on this era and how there was much discontent and restraint put on the women who felt trapped. One such move is Pleasantville, which starred Reese Witherspoon, who plays a young girl from present time sent back into the 50’s. In this movie the audience sees that Reese’s character is creating a stir in the community by being a strong independent woman with opinions and the need to put her happiness first. During the 1950’s if one were to act out in such a manner they would be isolated from the rest of the community and be seen as odd. Not all women were with the idea of wanting more. In fact there were some women who did not like the idea of independent women as much as men. “Dale Carnegie's wife echoed this sentiment: ‘The two big steps that women must take are to help their husbands decide where they are going and use their pretty heads to help them get there’” (Halberstam 591-592).
While a grown woman can choose for herself whether or not to pursue this kind of lifestyle, the younger generation living in the 1950’s was much more likely to listen to what elders thought was best for them. Because of this and the shift in society ideals, the average age of marriage for women during the time was only 20 years old. Many young women were even getting engaged as early as seventeen years old. There was an essay written in a high school economics class titled, “How to be a Good Wife” that instructed young girls on how to properly fulfill her role as married housewife. One suggestion in this essay revealed, that the wife should be sure to minimize all noise, touch up her hair and make-up, and make sure the children are clean and neat. All these things are to be done before her husband gets home from work to make him happy Even the clothing that women wore at this time Merry Widow brassieres, tight girdles, and spiked heels all added to the feminine ideal (Matthews 210). In Betty Freidan’s book, The Feminine Mystique, she discusses how during the 50’s in the United States there were a much lower percentage of women in college than men. She also talks about how young girls were simply going to college to pass the time until she met her husband or married. The engagement age for women at this time dropped to only seventeen tears old. It would not be until the early and mid sixties that women really started standing up for their rights and demanding independence.
Although after world war two some historians label that time period as the time of affluence, there was like any time in history internal struggles with society. For this time women found it hard to have her own freedom to work where she liked, and to educate herself in subject matter she chose. This was an era that focused on the woman staying home and the man working for a living to provide. It is interesting to see how the silent war that women struggled with developed and then led to the sixties and the second wave of feminism.
The Suburban housewife did not have to work, instead because of financial stability and the social roles of motherhood and home-keeper that society now placed on women, women were often at home or running various errands. Many households at this time were able to afford two cars, one the husband would use to commute to work, and one the wife would use to run errands and pick up children from school. Because the suburbs were far from the city, and women during the week did not have too much time to socialize, they could go days without having any adult conversation “Suburban housing separated women from other adults, creating a feeling of isolation” (Halberstam 589). The fifties produced radio soap opera’s that woman would religiously commit to listening to, and also popular woman’s magazines. Many of these popular magazines, such as Redbook, Mademoiselle, and Lady’s Home Journal, were editions that were run and edited by men. Like other aspects of media, these magazines focused more on the role of the wife at home, and her need to keep her husband satisfied and run a smooth home. Titles of articles in these magazines during this time included, “What’s Wrong with American Women?” and “Women aren’t men”. The idea that a woman would want any independence for herself, in the eyes of society at the time was looked down upon and thought that a woman’s independence would counter what her natural role is. If the woman felt any discontent with her role as a housewife, or mother, or spouse, the blame was placed on the woman, and the idea was that there most is something wrong with the woman to want to go against her natural role as wife and mother. It is because of this that unhappiness and dissatisfaction among women was not discussed. It became a silent war with women against society. It has become my understanding through my research that there was mixed feelings among the women living in suburbia. There were many women that enjoyed their lifestyle, and yet many other felt emptiness in their lives. Betty Freidan, author of the Feminine Mystique, and a wife in suburbia during the fifties, notes that many women began to wonder if their lifestyle did not offer any more substance other than running the washing machine, and cooking dinner. There was often the thought of, “is this all” that was prevalent among the woman who wanted more.
The media reflected the same ideals of the happy housewife, when one looks at popular television shows at the time. For example the television family, The Stones on “The Donna Reed Show” was a television show where the housewife was completely content with her life-taking car of her husband and children. In comparison there was also I love Lucy, who was also a stay at home wife, but wanted desperately to share some of the limelight that her working husband had. Instead of getting support to gain success, Lucy’s husband very sternly always said no to her and she was almost always depicted as a clown of sorts for her meager attempts at stardom. Lucy, the determined housewife never gained the success she sought, but in “The Donna Reed Show” the wife shows that her success is by keeping a good home. Recently there have been films made that comment on this era and how there was much discontent and restraint put on the women who felt trapped. One such move is Pleasantville, which starred Reese Witherspoon, who plays a young girl from present time sent back into the 50’s. In this movie the audience sees that Reese’s character is creating a stir in the community by being a strong independent woman with opinions and the need to put her happiness first. During the 1950’s if one were to act out in such a manner they would be isolated from the rest of the community and be seen as odd. Not all women were with the idea of wanting more. In fact there were some women who did not like the idea of independent women as much as men. “Dale Carnegie's wife echoed this sentiment: ‘The two big steps that women must take are to help their husbands decide where they are going and use their pretty heads to help them get there’” (Halberstam 591-592).
While a grown woman can choose for herself whether or not to pursue this kind of lifestyle, the younger generation living in the 1950’s was much more likely to listen to what elders thought was best for them. Because of this and the shift in society ideals, the average age of marriage for women during the time was only 20 years old. Many young women were even getting engaged as early as seventeen years old. There was an essay written in a high school economics class titled, “How to be a Good Wife” that instructed young girls on how to properly fulfill her role as married housewife. One suggestion in this essay revealed, that the wife should be sure to minimize all noise, touch up her hair and make-up, and make sure the children are clean and neat. All these things are to be done before her husband gets home from work to make him happy Even the clothing that women wore at this time Merry Widow brassieres, tight girdles, and spiked heels all added to the feminine ideal (Matthews 210). In Betty Freidan’s book, The Feminine Mystique, she discusses how during the 50’s in the United States there were a much lower percentage of women in college than men. She also talks about how young girls were simply going to college to pass the time until she met her husband or married. The engagement age for women at this time dropped to only seventeen tears old. It would not be until the early and mid sixties that women really started standing up for their rights and demanding independence.
Although after world war two some historians label that time period as the time of affluence, there was like any time in history internal struggles with society. For this time women found it hard to have her own freedom to work where she liked, and to educate herself in subject matter she chose. This was an era that focused on the woman staying home and the man working for a living to provide. It is interesting to see how the silent war that women struggled with developed and then led to the sixties and the second wave of feminism.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Research Questions
- What womens groups/clubs werwe formed during the time that were positive for women?
- In the home how was the husband and wife interaction?
- what were some of the things women did at the time for recreation/leisure?
Women in The Golden Age
My group and I are all discussing women in various time periods throughout the U.S history. I feel that my specific topic which is women during the Golden Age, or the time period just after world war 2, fits in well because this period of time holds great changes for women. During the war, women were very much involved and now that the war is over, women were expected to go back to the domestic life that was created for them. My resaerch will study how the women felt about this, how their ideals changed, and what actions they took to make a life for themselves that was more suitable to the womans needs, and not society's.
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