Textbook
1. World War II gave women a new identity. During these times women were ready to help the country in any and every way they could. To begin, they started working at jobs that before only men worked. Some women worked at jobs such as mechanics and welding. Many others also joined the army by joining Women’s Army and Air force. Nevertheless, women who had joined the army weren’t allowed to fight in war. While many women still performed jobs typical for women such as, telephone operators, clerical workers, and nurses, women who performed jobs that were more suitable for men, weren’t permanent workers. Because men were absent, women had become substitutes of men’s jobs.
2. World War II brought many changes for women, changes that marked an important time period for women. One of the most long lasting effects of World War II was probably women and education. After the war many women started to continue their education. Next, while during the war many women worked at certain jobs because men were absent, after the war these women were still highly classified workers because of their experience. Finally, many women also moved to the cities where there were more opportunities to grow more independent.
Source Interpretation
1. According to the article gender isn’t an issue for women to find jobs. Because men are at war, women have the opportunity to substitute them at work. Additionally, while women receive the same salary as men, they are also treated like men. On the other hand, the article also, in some way, portrays gendered division. Men do the important parts of the work. Whereas, some women, add the final touches.
2. The audience of this article is probably mostly women because it is published in “The Ladies Home” journal. However, if the male soldiers, who are so far from home, have the chance to have this article in their hands, they will probably read it too.
3. It is hard to imagine anyone, a man or woman, who would enjoy such conditions of work. However, women maintain a somewhat positive attitude. Women who work so many hours, under so much pressure, and so hard, are satisfied because they get paid more than they used to. On the other hand, some women want to go back to their old jobs.
4. The article suggests that women who work as hard as men, still maintain their femininity. First, after work women go home and still perform their housework. They clean, wash, and cook. Additionally, they also show their femininity at work. Even though their work is hard and they don’t have much of free time, women still find time to do their nails.
5. After the was many different things may happen to women. Some women would probably lose their jobs because men would come back from war. Some others would get married and start a family. Many others would have to go back to their old jobs, where the money isn’t vary good.
6 comments:
R#1
Tatev
Hi Marianna. Your blog was very much like mine, and why am I not surprised? There were differences however. You know how you said that even though women worked hard jobs, they still had their nails done nicely which showed their feminist side. And I think it is important that you mentioned it. I did not mention it in my blog but I did say that when they went home, they started cooking and cleaning their house which of course was sign that they still have their softness in them and the hard work and building airplanes will not make it go away. Another thing that was interesting in your blog was the fact that you mentioned how women will go back to being housewives when men came back from war. Some of the will get married but not all of them because not everyone will come back from war. Like you said women will still have their high paying jobs because of their experience and skills, but all of them. Women are being substitutes for men and I do not think that it is fair for men to take women’s jobs just because they came back. Women are mastered and they know what they are doing so I think that women should still have their jobs even after men come back.
Ruba, R # 1
Hello Marianna,I agree with you, World War 2 was definitely a great opportunity for women to be a part of our country’s economy and defense in ways that they were never able to be before. The absence of men and therefore the need to keep our economy up was one of the main reasons why women were able to participate in the industrial world as much as they did. Moreover, women’s organizations also kept pursuing this issue which finally allowed for women to contribute to the defense industry. In regards to the second answer, I agree with what you said about women learning all the skills they learnt and were now able to find better job opportunities. In addition, that definitely boosted women’s confidence in them selves and employers’ confidence in them.
We have many similar thoughts about the source interpretation questions. In your third answer, you mentioned that women accepted the harsh working conditions because the wages were high, which is true. In addition to that, I believe that women were able to prove them selves to men and to people in the labor force and show them that they were capable of handling hard tasks.
Mariam R #1
Hi Marianna,
You did a great job on your blog. It was very clear and concise. It was nice to finally see women gain their identity back and prove that they are capable of handling a man’s job. The war opened up new opportunities for women to improve their skills and lifestyles. I agree with you when you say that “gender was not an issue for women to find jobs.” Although they were given many opportunities and were in ways treated equal to men, such as equal wages, it was not because women were considered equal to men, but because women were needed since men were at war. The article talked about how once men come back women would go back to their domestic housework, washing, cleaning and childrearing. Some may even return to the factories that they previously worked in. The demand for labor was high and there was a shortage of men, therefore women were their only help. The positive aspect of this was that it helped women gain more knowledge and acquire new skills, which would benefit them in the long run. It also gave women the chance to prove that they can handle anything that a man can handle. This was a time the society finally had the chance to see the capabilities of women.
Reena's- R #1-
I agree with Marianna that during World War 11, this gave women a new identity for women. While the men went to war, someone had to substitute in taking the roles of men- women. Women even went to the battlefields to assist with the war. I must agree with Marianna that there was an increase in women maintaining their education and becoming more independent because women were helping each other while the men were at war. During that time women grew to be independent. Also, with the article gender was not an issue for women during WW 11 because someone had to do the work that was lacking. There had to be a ying to a yang- men in the battlefield and women doing the business/ clerical/nursing part of the work. Later women were offered the same salary as men, but there was still sexism because men still dominated the workforce. And yes, women who are able to have a job still maintain their femininity with the accessories they wear and still coming home and doing the traditional role as domestic work- cook and clean. And after the war, I’m sure women did lose their jobs to men who came back from the war especially having better respect serving the war. Also, I am also sure that women still had the chance to maintain their jobs because many men were injured from the war.
Reena's R#2-R#2-
In response to Ruba’s R #1, I like how Ruba mentioned that during World War 11 that women helped maintain the economy up by being able to do the work that men did while they were at war. That is so true because I didn’t realize that but it makes sense! And yes, this allowed women to pursue the ideas of feminism to the government. Women did showed everyone that they can do it too. I agree with Rubs, that by women learning all these skills this definitely increased their confidence in themselves as well as employers. Again, I agree with Ruba on the article that women did work in “ harsh conditions” but worked because the pay was higher. By working in the workforce and at home I believe that women showed a new face to a woman- they did double time, and should be greatly respected and appreciated.
Ruba, R # 2
Hi Renna,
In regards to your response to Marianna’s discussion, as devastating as World War II was, it really helped women of the United States to shine due to their significant contribution to the country’s economy and defense industry. This was, as we discussed in class, a big jump for women from the 1930s when they were asked to stay home and do their domestic work. There is a small detail that I want to mention about women being able to take over men’s jobs and being paid the same salary however, is the fact that this was partially done so that wages would not drop to a lower level; that way when men come home form war, wages would still be the same. Finally, we cannot disregard the economic gain women enjoyed as well as the level of freedom, equality and independence they had.
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