Women's roles: context

Question 1

American dream and consumerist culture

Answer 1

American Dream - everybody has ability to achieve what they long for
Consumerist culture - After the war, magazines started notice the cosumerist culture. Advertisers used to hire movie stars and sports figures to try and appeal to many Americans - led to many indulging in consumerist culture

• Women’s roles: Moment 1 - Myrtle’s apartment

Question 2

Women’s roles in the 1930s

Answer 2

Great depression caused women to regain thier role in family life (matriarchy)
Women were expected to be housewives and society still followed a patriarchal hierarchy

• Women’s roles: Moment 2 - Ma going against Pa

Question 3

New Women backlash

Answer 3

Seen as immoral by tradition and were vilifed, Due to rejecting Victorian ideals (highlighted by the poem “Angel in The House by Conventry Patmore) and challenging the paritrachy

• Women’s roles: Moment 3 - Myrtle’s death

Question 4

The mothers: Matriarchal theory of social origins and hope of communism

Answer 4

Theory that women were the foundations of societies
Provides hope of communism and marxism after the great depression

• Women’s roles: Moment 2 - The ending