Article Analysis Essay on The Good Wife's Guide 1955

Introduction

The article of the "good Wifes Guide 1955" explains how the people used to live then and the things that they considered right. Things have changed over the years with the traditions that people had back then being abandoned over the years. The article of the good wife guide explains the role of women of the 1950s detailing how they were supposed to behave and do. Their role was mainly housekeeping and taking care of their families. Things have changed over the years; modern women perform the same roles as men. If the article was written in a different time, the roles of women could be different because they have changed over the years.

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The Roles of Women in the 1950s

The roles of women in America in the mid-1950 included preparing dinner for the families. They would prepare dinner on time and let the husband know. The women were only concerned about their husbands, and they ensured that their husbands were comfortable at home (The Good Wife's Guide). This role has shifted in today's society where families hire employees to do housekeeping, including preparing for meals. Women also work; hence, they cannot find time to do the housekeeping. There are even men and women who stay on their remaining independent. Women of today are educated as compared to women of 1950 majority of whom were not educated.

Shifting Gender Roles After World War II

The role of women began to shift after world war two because they participated in the war in issuing propaganda posters. However, after the war, they did not resume the role of housewives and mothers (Burke). The cultural propaganda exposed the women to different environments; hence they began to realize that they can engage in other roles. Women got the attention of the world that they can engage in other activities successfully. The women also learned that they could be successful in other activities and be successful (Chang). The rhetoric is that women continued to play the original roles as housewives together with new roles. Women began to question the roles of men because they realized that they could also perform the same roles.

The Influence of "The Good Wife's Guide" and Housekeeping Magazine

The Housekeeping monthly magazine was produced to teach women on the roles that they were supposed to perform their duties of housekeeping (Shoshana). The magazine was meant to ensure that women understand the standards that they were supposed to maintain. The magazine had cultural propaganda to dictate the role of women in households. The magazine used to remind women that their roles in society are based on housekeeping. The magazine wanted to make the women remain loyal to their husbands. The article ensured that women desired to submit to their husbands and avoid disagreements.

Cultural Variations in the Interpretation of Gender Roles

Culture, the role of women in society, and societal standards vary globally, which means that women in different countries can interpret the "The good Wifes Guide, 1955" differently. In a culture where women are allowed to engage in economic activities, they may find the article unappealing and unrealistic because they have no time to carry out activities listed in the article. Female labor participation is very significant in some countries, and in others, women are pressured to be housewives (Fisher). In cultures where women are encouraged staying at home and taking care of the children and husbands.

In countries like Japan and China, the levels of female participation in the labor force are low. The societal standards in such countries discourage women from engaging in economic activities (Fisher). This means that women in these cultures are likely to perceive the article positively because they are staying at home women so the article can have a positive impact on their lives. Additionally, in countries such as India, the article could be interpreted positively because men control women's lives to some extent. The women on the other hand have accepted their status in the status and take it as a norm. The women who work do not do so by choice but work with the permission of their husbands. They normally work when the household income is not enough. This means that they could interpret the article as helpful because their main role is household chores.

In the United Arab Emirates culture, for example, the article is likely to be interpreted positively. Although the husbands support women working the culture hinders them from working (Day). In countries such as Dubai, marriage and children are barriers to women's participation in the labor force. The women who are married are expected by society to be homemakers rather than engage in economic activities (Pennington). Women, therefore, would be willing to sacrifice working outside the household for the sake of the family.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the roles of women have changed from being good wives in housekeeping to performing other roles performed by men. Women can compete with men in different disciplines of work. The shifting in society has led to equality where women are regarded as equal partners in relationships and at work. Women are now empowered and able to perform the roles that were considered to be men.

Works Cited

Burke, AC. "The "Good" Wife's Guide." Primer. N.p., 2017. Web. 2 Oct. 2019.

Chang, Angel. "This 1955 'Good House Wife'S Guide' Explains How Wives Should Treat Their Husbands." Littlethings.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 2 Oct. 2019.

Day, Emma. "Men In The UAE Are 'Highly Supportive' Of Women Working." Emirates Woman, 2018, https://emirateswoman.com/men-in-the-uae-are-highly-supportive-of-women-working/.

Fisher, Max. "Where women work and don't: A map of female labor force participation around the world." (2014).

Ledger, Mira Shoshana. "Housekeeping monthly magazine" as a Simulation of Patriarchy." (2014).

Monthly, Housekeeping. "The Good Wife's Guide." (1955).

Pennington, Roberta. "Working Women In UAE Supported By Husbands, But Hindered By Culture, Survey Finds." The National, 2016, https://www.thenational.ae/uae/working-women-in-uae-supported-by-husbands-but-hindered-by-culture-survey-finds-1.173630.