American way of life
Publié le 30/11/2019
Extrait du document
«
In her famous work, B.
Friedan writes: The image of woman that emerges from this big,
pretty magazine is young and frivolous, almost childlike; fluffy and female; passive; gaily
content in a world of bedroom and kitchen, sex, babies and home.
The magazine surely does
not leave out sex; the only passion, the only pursuit, the only goal has woman is permitted is
the pursuit of a man.
It is crammed full of food, clothing, cosmetics, furniture, and the
physical bodies of young women, but where is the world of thought and ideas, the life of the
mind and spirit? In the magazine image, women do no work except housework and work to
keep their bodies beautiful and to get and keep a man.
Friedan, 1997
Magazines were one of the best ways to promote the ideology of the American perfect
woman.
Besides, millions of women used to buy magazines in order to find new recipes,
tips for cleaning the house, the latest model of electronic equipment available or to read a
love story.
The rise of this mass culture was createt by the media, Hollywood, advertisers
and especially by the government.
Even if reading a magazine which millions of other
women also read was something normal, its intentions were much wider: feminine
magazines encouraged certain forms of behaviors, such as baking a cake, choosing a new
brand of soup, refusing a professional opportunity to stay at home or even choosing a
candidate for the next elections.
Before the 1950’s except a happy few people, no one had a television at home.
News were
transmitted through the radio operators and newspapers.
In 1947 was launched the mass
production of the 7- inch TV and 170,000 sets were sold really quickly.
Families were then
able to had fun watching television.
Sundays were animated by family shows like
“Disneyland” and “The Ed Sullivan Show”.
Nevertheless, the image of the housewife was
still present.
The heroines of TV series also had a mission in the construction of the ideology
of the “perfect woman”.
The pin-ups appeared on magazines and the image was different from the woman who
remained at home.
The pin-ups were not to get married, just t be admired because of their
perfect bodies and faces.
These women were the materialization of the « ideal woman »,
very feminine, but also lovely.
The pin-ups were on magazines, on television, in
advertisements, calendars, posters and newspapers.
They personified the ideal of the
American woman which was being self-assertive, daring and also elegant.
For instance,
Marylin Monroe was an icon..
»
↓↓↓ APERÇU DU DOCUMENT ↓↓↓
Liens utiles
- American way of life: influence et rejet du modèle américain ?
- American Way of Life
- Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind, motion-picture epic about a tempestuous Southern belle and the changes in her life due to the American Civil War (1861-1865), based on the bestselling novel by Margaret Mitchell.
- Ernest Hemingway I INTRODUCTION Ernest Hemingway Twentieth-century American author Ernest Hemingway wrote novels and stories that reflected his rich life experiences as a war correspondent, outdoor sportsman, and bullfight enthusiast.
- American Literature: Poetry I INTRODUCTION Phyllis McGinley American poet and author Phyllis McGinley composed light, witty verse, much of which deals with family life.