Analysis Of Betty Friedan´s The Feminine Mystique

The poster of Rosie the Riveter was changed slightly from the original one because the first is far more masculine, something no one wanted to see in a women in the 1940s. The new poster “appealed to the sense of patriotism and common goal of the Second World War while showing that women could retain their femininity and womanhood in their service” (Hawkes). The message was “We Can Do It!”, referring to how women were wanted and valued in the workplace. This was a message never before seen in modern society, especially not seen when targeted towards married women. This was in fact so unheard of, that “World War II was the first time in U.S. history married women outnumbered single women workers” (Hawkes).

Susan Oliver writes an exceptional biography that describes in detail the life, success, struggles and failures of Betty Friedan. From her childhood as a divergent American-Jew living in Peoria, Illinois to being an outstanding student and writer in school, finding her path as a strong feminist at Smith College, her struggles as a mother and wife to mothering the second feminist movement. Susan Oliver explored all the factors that contributed to Betty Friedan’s strong private and public persona. Betty Friedan, a driving force of the second feminist movement, is barely recognized for the emancipation of women. Mostly known as the author of the Feminine Mystique, Susan Oliver made sure to demonstrate that Betty Friedan was more than a mere

Several social changes in the post-war years opened women to feminism's message. P. 2, The demand for a larger and more skilled labor pool generated by the Cold War, and postwar consumer economy were the driving force cause American society to become more open to feminism’s message. No doubt WW II created the demand for expanded women’s roles in the workplace, Document 1. Having proved their equal abilities during the war, they stood ready willing and able to contribute moving forward. Nevertheless attitudes toward women staying in the workforce after World War II were not favorable.

That was because, in the late 1950s, the only people that were supposed to work were men. The intention that men got was to do the incomes and taxes and bring wealth to the family. But women were just looked at as helpers for their husbands. This is why women wanted to do more with their life than be seen as a housewife by the world. Women wanted more advantages than men because they

In her essay, “The Importance of Work,” from The Feminine Mystique published in 1963, Betty Friedan confronts American women’s search for identity. Throughout the novel, Betty Friedan breaks new ground, concocting the idea that women can discover personal fulfillment by straying away from their original roles. Friedan ponders on the idea that The Feminine Mystique is the cause for a vast majority of women during that time period to feel confined by their occupations around the house; therefore, restricting them from discovering who they are as women. Friedan’s novel is well known for creating a different kind of feminism and rousing various women across the nation.

Throughout history, there has always been a rivalry between the two sexes and in the end the women have always come in second place. Time over time it has been proven difficult for women to hold any type of power that they have wanted except for the tasks that they have been given due to their gender. In society and in their own homes, it has been difficult for women to grow and sustain their power beyond the limits that they have been given. Women have been differentiated from men and have been discriminated with regard to jobs and other types of privileges that they have wanted. Throughout the course of history, they have been denied many freedoms that every man has and they want to be equal to their counterparts.

At the end of World War I and World War II, after women had taken over male jobs while fighting, men returned but women wanted to keep the jobs they had obtained when the war had ended (Stoneham). Women of the wars had gained lots of independence, but when the 1950s came around women lost it and became more domestic. The women of the 1950s returned back to the idea of being required to work at home and that they had no place in society. But 1950s women were more than just a passive link between working women of the war and political activists in the 1960s, the 1950s gave women the drive and motivation to be as strong in society that they are today. (Holt).

Females go through their whole lives without being noticed of what they do or did for men because they were and may still be seen as just a “keeper.” Woman stopped being known as the “Keeper” because in 1960, Betty Friedan fought back and females everywhere joined in to fight the oppression and the idea roles they were suppose to portray as housewives and

BETTY FRIEDAN “THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE AND THE WOMEN’S RIGHTS MOVEMENT” (1963) Through history, women have not always had what we proudly have now, freedom, rights, liberty, influence, and power. In a period of time women did not had their destiny and life in their own hands, it was in the hands of their parents, after them husband and later kids and husband but never on their own. But in 1963 everything changed in favor to women, it was not easy, but it was the beginning of a revolution for women rights and freedom. All of this began thanks to Betty Friedan and her book “The Feminine Mystique”.

Just before her rise to fame in the 50’s, “Society distinctly defined gender roles. Men were to work and financially provide for the family, and women managed the home and purchased groceries, goods, and services for daily life”(Lehman). Women's roles in the world were much different than men back then. They were traditionally the caretakers of the family and stayed home to

Web. 24 Oct. 2016. With the clear gender roles in place it was hard for females to get jobs, espilacy well paying jobs were they weren’t constantly put down. It was even worse for females of color as discrimination ran rampant during the progressive era, with lynchings, police brutality, mobs, and other dangers out in the world females of color were degraded for not only being women but for being of a different ethnicity. “Comparison, black women only narrowed that gap by 9 cents, from earning 56 cents for every dollar earned by a white man in 1980 to 65 cents today.”

Friedan’s Chapter One and Two Karly Marin Sacramento State University Communication Studies Major Gender Ideology Introduction Women play a pivotal role in the growth and development of social, economic and political spheres. There are countable women in the history of the world who have made remarkable contributions to the various spheres. Their accounts are recorded in books, magazines and journals amongst others. The Feminine Mystique is one of the books that received a wide audience in the 1950s.

Women in the 1950s were dealing with a lot of things during the 1950s. They were dealing with sexism and not being allowed to seek more than the ideal fulfillment for women. Women are looked down upon and thought of less than men during the 1950s.

Rosie the Riveter had people talking in the 1940’s and continues to do so in the 21st century. “Rosie the Riveter marked a revolution for women across the nation. Over the years, ‘Rosies’ became the typical working woman in American society… ‘Rosie the Riveter’ will always be an influential American icon.” Rosie the Riveter is timeless and will always be referred to or used to inspire women’s rights movements, whether it be just wearing a costume to look like her, or spreading the message of “We Can Do It!”. Encyclopaedia Britannica defines “Rosie the Riveter” as both “media icon associated with female defense workers during World War II” and “a symbol for women in the workforce and for women’s independence.”

Women could not go to work and make money, in the south they stayed at home and did work inside the house and cooked. “Mayella looked as if she tried to keep clean…” (Doc A; Chapter 18) All women had expectations to live by. Men in the 1930’s went to work everyday trying to make money so their family could survive.