Gender Roles In The 1950's

Women of the 1950’s through the 1960’s are ridden with male oppression and self-esteem issues. The book Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates and an episode of Mad Men titled The Shoot have a lot in common. The differences and similarities between the leading women in both of these stories from the 1950’s show that times are different today. The women of the 1950’s had a dream for the future and their dream has finally become a reality for American women. From Mad Men, Betty Draper’s dream of becoming a model and in Revolutionary Road, April Wheeler’s dream of traveling the world are actual realities for women today. Their dreams show similarities, differences and the “American Dream” that every woman has.

Gender defined roles are continuously adapting to the new societal norms of the era. There is a surplus of historical events that have reimagined the traditional expectations of a man or women.

The idea of television began since the 1820s but it was until 1927 when the 21- year old Philo T. Farnsworth produce the first electronic television picture. Experimental broadcast began, featuring music, wrestling, and dance; however, it was until the 1950s that TV really became the new form of mass entertainment. Nevertheless, in all the shows that were produced women was denigrated and producers focused mainly on their physical appearance and not their intellect capacity. Ward and Harrison stated, “TV has depicted females by focusing on their physical characteristics, sexual appeal, and romantic success, whether they are housewives, mothers, or objects of desire.” Women did not have a choice, they were placed on TV shows with a certain stereotype needed to be fulfilled by them, and because they wanted to work they did not deny the job, therefore, they encouraged the stereotype.

the house becoming the homemaker once the war was over. The 1950s has also been

Traditional gender roles are typical roles for men and women based on biological and social differences. The book describes two benefits of traditional gender roles for males as: Higher Income and Other Job Related Advantages and Less Domestic Work and Marital Stress. Men are expected to always provide a stable income for the home. As personal experience in my household, my dad’s paychecks were always higher than my mom’s. He worked as head of security of a grade school making over $3,000+ a month, meanwhile my mom working as a homecare nurse made only $2,000. Because my dad’s income was higher, he was always expected to pay majority of the bills such as rent, cable, lights, car notes, and insurance. My mom paid for the smaller bills such

In Jamaica Kincaid’s story, Girl, a mother is talking to her daughter about all the proper things she must do to be considered a good girl to her family and to the public, and when she grows up, a proper lady. She must follow the rules that are given to her by her own mother and by society. The mother also teaches the daughter how to act when things don’t go her way. She is told that along with being a proper lady, she must also be able to get what she wants and be independent. This story was written in the late 1970’s and gender roles, for women, back then were not being “followed” because women wanted equal opportunities (Women In the Workforce). “Gender stereotypes are beliefs regarding the traits and behavioral characteristics given to individuals on the basis of their gender” (Deuhr). This essay will discuss the gender roles that were given to women in the story, during the late 70’s, and in today’s society.

Gender roles became so complex in the twentieth century due how society has changed what men and women should be like. Men take being strong and independent as a God given right to them, while females on the other hand have had to work their way up in order to be titled independently strong. From growing up to early adulthood I faced the conflict of constantly worrying about how society wants me shape myself as a dependent and self-confident which was the complete opposite of me.

The 1950’s were cookie cutter; there was usually a working father, a homemaker mother, and a couple of kids. Although women were working and had jobs in the 1950’s, after WWII many women still stayed home being a house wife if the husband’s income could afford it. If women had jobs, and the job was unnecessary they were considered selfish. Having a husband at this time was more important than having a job or a degree. Marriage in the 1950’s was highly based around religion. Pre-marital sex was considered unacceptable, and women were married at ages as low as nineteen (People & Events, 1).

a. During the 1950’s men had a higher place in society than women did. Women were known as the homemakers. They were to do the cleaning and take care of the children. Men were to go out and be the bread winner for the family. Men were the ones to support the household.

This is how the women lived back in the 1950’s, but now things have changed. The book portrayed that if you didn’t follow the standards, you weren’t a perfect wife. The wives back then basically had the house role, meanwhile the father just brought the money home and rested. Women long ago didn’t have as many rights as they do now, that is why there is such a difference between the wife standards now.

The male and female roles have been made since the beginning of time. The man is to provide for the family while the wife is to tend to the children and household duties. Now, instead of the traditional roles men and women are changing up the perspective. Gender roles in the 19th and 20th century have dissolved from the traditional roles to the inclination of the individual.

Gender roles have drastically changed over time, however we still practice some of the same customs, even though times have changed. In the U.S. we used to live in a patriarchal society, patriarchy is defined as “a nearly universal system involving the subordination of femininity to masculinity” (Conley, 2015, p. 288). Men were expected to go out and get a job, while the women stayed at home and tended to the children and household. However, society has changed to a point where women have jobs, men stay home with children, and many people are single parents who do it all on their own.

The male and female roles have been made since the beginning of time. The man is to provide for the family while the wife is to tend to the household duties and children. Now, instead of the traditional roles men and women are changing up the perspective. Gender roles in the 19th to 20th century have evolved from the traditional roles.

I think Helen is more made at her father and is taking this out on her mother, maybe she feels like the mother should have demand her father be there for the family. I think Helen is reflecting anger towards her mother but she is really upset with her father, it seems like she is upset that her father has a good relationship with her siblings and the grandchildren when he wasn’t there for her and her siblings she feels he doesn’t deserve to have the good relationship with everyone when he wasn’t there when they was coming up in their childhood. Helen she feels the mother was there for her and her sibling but everyone thinks the mother is the one with the issues but she was the one that was there for them and the father wasn’t. I think she is having problems with the choice she chose to be angry with the mother but I think she is angry with the mother because she feels the mother should of made a better choice to make her father be in their lives more coming up but she seems like she is placing blame on her mother for her past when she is really is upset with her father.

The role of women in marriage in the 1950’s was often to stay at home doing housework and