The Contemporary Age Of A Novel Written By J. D. Salinger

The wartime jobs produced lasting careers and life-style changes for women. Some of the jobs they did were telephone operators, factory workers, seamstresses, and physicians. Most of the women that were hired for these jobs were young and unmarried because they had fewer obligations to attend. This meant, they could work long hours with little pay since they did not have a family to provide for. It was

Prior to World War II, many women were unemployed, due to the Great Depression which had started a decade before. With men always getting preference for jobs, there were very few jobs left for women. Consequently, not only were many occupations were reserved for men, but men were also paid wages up to five times higher for the same task as women. Some states also barred married women from holding jobs. However during World War II, America produced at an efficiency which was higher than ever. This meant that the women had an increasing number of jobs. Jobs in the public sector opened up. Since 1939, women progressively changed the idea of patriarchy and the cliché thinking of an average woman in the United States to be a wife and mother.

Before World War I and World War II, women at home had the roles of maintaining duties for their family and children, such as cleaning, caring for the house, and cooking for the family. They were more likely judged by their exquisiteness rather than their ability. Just before World War I began, women were beginning to break away from the traditional roles they had played at home. Throughout both World Wars, women in the United States faced similar challenges, however, during the Second World War; women were trusted with much more freedom and responsibility than they had in the First World War.

With over 6 million men enlisted into the war, their jobs had to be filled, so women stepped up to fill those positions. With roles as nurses, badge sewing, working in factories & shipyards, to selling war bonds, and even spying. Women were also working on airplanes in the Air Force, as mechanics. Women were the driving force of the United States labor and job industry. (The Role of Women in WW1) Prior to the war, women were expected to remain in the home tending to domestic duties such as keeping the house clean, cooking meals for the family and raising children. Women were not allowed to work outside the home, especially in factories, as it was deemed, unladylike to work in such an

Women only worked in their homes caring for their family’s, they never had the opportunity to work outside of their homes in places such as factories or in the government and they had no benefits within the house until the war began. The war

Prior to World War II women were seen as house wives, taking care of children and tending the gardens. Women generally accepted these roles because family was a prior economic unit. Even during World War I the contributions were housewife like, washing clothing, cooking, helping the wounded, sewing, knitting clothing, and etc. The images of women taking care of the home while men were off working were so nailed into the head that some states banned women from jobs. Once the war started to take place the war effort was so great men and women had to set aside gender roles for the sake of their countries being. Women left families, education, and other jobs to work the jobs men took on while they were off serving the country in combat, etc.

The country had no choice but to have the women in the factories. They needed their help and were not going to complain about it. They knew with extra hands that, that was going to be an easier way to win the war. The government called on to the women and without hesitation, they went. They answered to whatever work that needed to be done. They worked a 52 hour week at 68 cents per hour. They were all prepared and knew that their “summer jobs” would end soon. There work dominated their nights and days. Most of their work was outdoors as well. Even though some women would much rather be at home helping there families other ways they still managed to get their other job complete as well.

During the 1940's wartime production required more factory workers. With the majority of males being enlisted into the military and the work force depleted, minorities and women found many opportunities during the war. "For most, involvement became an adventure, a way that every citizen could feel he or she was making an important contribution to the war effort"(Duis, 20). While most women were married, they worked to keep themselves busy while the males were off at war. "Prior to the war only about one fourth of women worked outside of the home" (Bard, 173). "By 1945, women made up 36% of the nation's total workforce" (Schultz). After the war, women were advised to leave work and continue their more traditional role of wife and mother. African Americans improved their economical standing by accepting war industry positions and through their migration from the south; some became professionals and skilled workers, yet still facing harsh discrimination. There was a high commitment of immigrant workers to the war effort that participated heavily in war bond and scrap metal collection drives. Like African Americans, these immigrants were also subjected to racial prejudice. But overall, "America enjoyed full employment and a higher standard of living"

The U.S industry, as well as the government expanded during wartime needs. Women made all of this possible (Partners in Winning the War). Women were needed to fill in the traditional male jobs during the war. These jobs provided unprecedented opportunities for women to move into occupations, previously thought of as exclusively for men. However, with these new opportunities, American women began to change the stereotypes of gender roles. They took over the majority of factory and office jobs, previously occupied by men. Five million women entered the workplace during 1940-1945, the gap in the labor force created by departing soldiers. It is seen that a huge percentage of American women have begun to take over these positions, slowly changing the industrial world in the United States (Khan Academy).

They had to work what was called the “double shift”. During the day they worked helping the war and at night they took care of cleaning the house, doing laundry, and other house work. Because of this many mothers were criticized and blamed by others for the rise in child delinquency. The mothers were doing everything they could and still were called bad mothers (Document G). After World War II ended, all the opportunities for women went away because the men returned from war. They had to quit their jobs and return to their house duties so that the men could be employed again. As Myron A. Marty stated in Daily life in the United states, “women assumed roles that were just as restricted as before” (Document I). Women, after a couple months of freedom, went back to how they lived before the war. Women had no right, no say, no freedom. They were just treated like objects. Women worked hard to help and support but were never

The war caused many American women to take factory jobs as result of the men enlisting in the war effort. They took these jobs because once the husband left there was no source of income coming to the family. So the women had to go to work to receive income to feed their families. Also, they started to work at the factories so they could make guns, bombs, food, and clothes to send to the troops in Europe who were fighting in the war.

“Many women were forced out of high paying jobs in traditionally male industries. ”The government needed the women at the time and were very thankful for their support through the war but once they had come home they went back to the lifestyle that they had lived before the war; second in society when compared to men. “Many of the jobs women were offered during the war were taken away from them at its conclusion and were not in sectors women had previously shown a desire to enter.” The jobs that the women had acquired after the war was over was very different from the jobs that they had during the war. They had fallen in love with the idea of them working and being closer to men in equality and they thought that nothing would change once the men came home.

Although unfortunate for women, employers were able to pay lower wages and dismiss them if a man applied for the position. They also received minimal support from unions caused by concern that women would replace men in the workforce because they could be paid less. Despite being unfairly treated in the workforce, women had experienced an extent of freedom in society that would forever change how they were viewed. While men fought, women were also left with the emotional burden of waiting for their loved ones to return home, although many did not. This meant some women were left to raise and feed children as a single parent, whilst still supporting themselves. Those women’s husbands who did return, did not have it easier in any way. Predominance of men had injuries meaning women had to take care of them, whilst other men suffered depression, nightmares and trouble relating to previous civilian lives. Occasionally, this resulted in breakdown of marriage and family. In this regard, the war did not create a bright future for

In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is portrayed as a young, troubled individual. He tells us his story from the mental institution where he is currently residing. Holden is a 16 year old going through many different adolescent changes. He is expelled from his prep school for flunking too many subjects. He drinks, smokes, sees a prostitute, is punched by her pimp, goes on dates, spends a great deal of time in the park, and really does not do a great deal else. Holden is a very hard person to figure out and analyze. Throughout the whole book, Holden constantly changes his mind about things and has various conflicting thoughts. The experiences that Holden goes through illustrate the divide between adults and

After getting an education as well as knowing there worth in society women knew there were more than just a wife and mother. During WWII women demonstrated their power to think in a world without men as they were off fighting the war. Women began to understand that they had more to offer the world other than housekeeping and raising children. In addition, many women wanted to continue working after the war as they had held jobs with responsibilities as well as earning wages. Furthermore, women were the ones making financial decisions as well as working in positions with higher responsibilities. Many women as well as minorities were simply casted a side to make room for the returning solders. This created a silent discontent among women