Essay on Women and Society During the Early 20th Century

Women and Society during the early 20th Century Women always had to deal with all kinds of situations throughout history. Sex was becoming to be a woman’s way of expressing herself and in a way have control over certain situation Edith Wharton’s quot;Summerquot; and John Steinbeck’ s quot;The Chrysanthemumsquot; show two characters (both of them women) struggling between society‘s rules and laws and their own believes and desires. Both stories were written in the beginning of the 20th century and both authors made it very clear that the women’s thoughts were unacceptable. While Charity Loyal in quot;Summerquot; had the ability to satisfy herself sexually with a city boy and go as far as she could be her desires. Elisa Allen in†¦show more content†¦Cynthia Bily, who wrote a critical essay on Summer says, quot;At the Jewelry store, where she [Charity] sees jewelry close up for the first time, she is attracted to a ’a gold lily-of-the-valley with white flowers’--an understandab le attraction for a woman who loves the natural world as much as she does.quot; Charity chooses the brooch that represents her. This, however, not only shows Charity admiration and love for nature, but Harney’s ability to quot;buyquot; Charity’s attention and eventually sexual intimacy. The Brooch place an important part in the story. She carriers the brooch everywhere and when she had to give it away, she goes back to the doctor’s office and gets it back. Steinbeck also makes nature a very important part of his story. â€Å"Worn, Damaged bodies in Literature and Photography of the Great Depression† by Thomas Fahy examples the important role of nature in Steinbeck’s novels. He writes that throughout his novels, migrant workers depend on their ability to do physical labor for survival. Whether a man is good at lifting heavy loads, picking apples, or fixing cars, he typically measures Galante Gonzalez, 3 self-worth in terms of usefulness and a strong body. We can see all the characteristics in Elisa. Steinbeck starts his novel by describing the setting of Salinas Valley, quot;On the foothill ranches across the Salinas River, the yellow stubble fields seemed to be bathed in a pale cold sunshine, butShow MoreRelated The Progression of Gender Roles in American Society Essay658 Words   |  3 PagesAmerican Society Throughout life every man and woman fits into a specific gender role. We are told what is expected of men and women from birth until death. Many people influence our view of how we should act and what we should say such as our parents, friends, and even the media. Males and females play very different roles and these differences are apparent in our every day lives. These differences are not the same as they used to be. Society has changed the way it treats men and women over timeRead MoreFeminism And The American Equal Rights Association1550 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the late 19th and early 20th century in America, the rise of Feminism challenged the traditional gender roles. The female authors of this time period represented realistic aspects of women’s struggles, which often reflected limitations from society and their own lives. The three female authors who advocated women’s struggles in their writings were Sojourner Truth, Willa Cather, and Edith Wharton. In the speech to the American Equal Rights Association, Truth reveals that women do not have rightsRead MoreOppression in the Early 20th Century1578 Words   |  7 Pagesthat women should be treated as equals to men. In the early 20th century, women faced adversity in the sense that it was a struggle living at that time because they had a specific role to live up to, and that role was being housewives to the men. The early 20th Century was a male dominated society. Glaspell uses character names, Irony in the title, and symbolism in the play, â€Å"Trifles† to reveal the roles in which women play, and the harm it brings to women and also men in the early 20th Century. InRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1437 Words   |  6 Pages The late 19th century and early 20th century have represented a time period where American women were restricted to common household jobs, and prevented from being part of much social or economical progress. Women were expected to maintain an image of moral standard and were frequently cast in an insignificant role in society, ironically, due to the worries men had with the higher population of women (Women in the Twentieth Century and Beyond. 1). As a strong advocate for women s rights, CharlotteRead MoreIndustrial Revolution Essay1643 Words   |  7 PagesThe industrialization of Europe resulted in widespread changes within society. French revolutionaries of all factions were aware that the whole of social life was infused with ideological significance, and were therefore determined to restructure society from top to bottom and across the board. R.G Collingwood argues that some social changes t hat were felt during this period of time included changes to class structure, the working class, family dynamics, women’s role, and even the lower to middleRead MoreThe Path Of Federal Vote For Women During The Mexican Revolution1502 Words   |  7 Pagesfederal vote for women in Mexico was a unique history to the Mexican Revolution. The nation was known as a great independent movement, which highly looking for economic modernization, and practice liberal ideals. Because they were lacked of education, Liberal was a big concerned for women and fear that women might harm and cause more problems to the progressive politics (Pablos 45, 60). The battle for the right to vote was only thought in England, Europe and United States. However, women in Mexico goingRead MoreHow Have The Texts You Studied Explored Social Values?1243 Words   |  5 Pagesby George Bernard Shaw (1912). Although both of these texts explore social values that were significant in the twentieth century, Shaw ’s play is considerably more critiquing in comparison to the film as he reflects his stance on social class through the plot and his use of language. Pretty Woman and Pygmalion both explore societal values in regards to the independence of women and social class however, societal hierarchy is predominantly determined by wealth in Pretty Woman and through appearanceRead MoreGraphic Design in the Early 20th Century1461 Words   |  6 Pages Refer to examples in the early 20th century.† Graphic Design in the early 20th century was created by artists as a prescribed function of advertising and propaganda, and was considered a secondary art form. Through the use of lithographic printing, woodblock prints, chromolithography, drawing and painting, many artists were able to produce striking images on posters, which conveyed messages that were directly related to the issues facing society at that time. During the first and Second worldRead MoreAnalysis Of Disney Films Mulan And Aladdin1393 Words   |  6 PagesStarting its production of films in the early 20th century, Disney has become a very popular company targeting an audience of children and adults. By the 21st century, its films has gone through many changes according to trends during those periods of time, especially with relationships between males and females. Men has always been prominent compared to the women in the movies. Women were displayed to be very dependent on male characters to come rescue them, no signs of independency are apparentRead MoreWomens Liberation in the 1920s Essay example1652 Words   |  7 Pagesalways like that for women. Many times in history women were oppressed, belittled, and deprived of the opportunity to learn and work in their desired profession. Instead, their life was confined to the home and family. While this was a noble role, many females felt that they were being restricted and ther efore desired more independence. In America, women started to break the mold in 1848 and continued to push for social, political, educational, and career freedom. By the 1920s, women had experienced significant