Chapter 14 from the Rosie to Lucy by Davidson and Mark Hamilton discusses the transformations on feminine mystique from the era of World War II to the era of baby boomers. The change was caused by the strong influence of men on the responsibility of women through magazines, TV shows, and fashion trends. The mass media exposed the Americans to present messages displaying the ideals of the culture. The media passed the message with confidence to persuade women that they should embrace the roles of an idealized woman as wives and a mother. The media played a predominant role in promoting the feminine mystique. The discussion aims to demonstrate the effect of media propaganda on women and the feminine mystique.

Friedan was concerned about the roles that women were playing in the society. By 1930 the image of women changed since they were more concerned with running their individual lives as compared to serving a man.  During such a time women had the freedom to select between career and marriage, and there was no restriction since women could even decide to have both. The system changed in the 1950s where a typical woman was not expected to work in the factories but only to work on their bodies and become beautiful to satisfy the need of men (Fraterrigo, 340.  The changed was experienced when men returned from the war, and they took the responsibility of writing as the women stopped writing. The male writers stated that the readers were not interested in reading public issues on women but perhaps those that affected the price of groceries. When the image of women was changing in the magazines, at the same time their fashion changed and they had to wear garments that made them look attractive to impress the men. The women who were working in the factories also had to quit their jobs to leave space for the men since they were not allowed to perform the same tasks to men.

The advent of the Television sets also contributed heavily into defining the role of women in the society. The movies that were acted showed how happily men were staying with their women at home. In the movies, women were not allowed to work outside their homes. While understanding how the mass media shaped the role of women, the Television is in the center of focus since by 1951 several homes had Television sets (Williams, 149). Television portrayed the image of women in predictable ways. Mostly the women were observed in domestic dramas or comedies serving within the sphere of their domain. The Television of 1950 was essential in airing the American public with the image of the new feminine mystique. There is a significant concern between the expression of the media and the reality of the portrait of a woman in society. The mass communication institutions promoted the feminine mystique, and through their influence, the press persuaded women into the cult of domesticity. The gain of women during World War II was not successful because the mass communication translated the benefits of women into a revolution of the spirit.

The era before World War II women had the freedom to make choices for their lives. If a woman could work in the factories, they were allowed to work and at the same time commit to their marriages. During the period, there were no problems observed in women serving their responsibilities at home since they could correctly bear children and raise them while at the same time taking care of men (Levine, 43). The feminine mystique is the false perception on the role of a woman in the society as a mother, a wife, and a housewife. During WWII the image of a woman started to change since women could even write books to advocate for their rights. The media through magazines printed the opinion of women, and a significant number of women started looking for jobs. The same mass media changed the feminine mystique after the WWII when men returned, and it meant that women were to stop writing and performing extended tasks. Through the mass media, the men promoted feminine mystique, and this was further supported through the advent of Television sets that were purchased in almost every home. Movies were acted that degraded the power of a woman. The same mass media showed movies like Honeymooners where a woman was portrayed as home moms who could not be independent. The movies influenced the decision of people, and this is why towards the end of the period certain shows like “I Love Lucy” assisted to proclaim dominant traits in the role of women. The presence of mass media was critical in changing feminine mystique once again, and this time it was adapted for good.

In conclusion, the role of a woman in the society experienced numerous changes during the era of WWII to the era of Baby Boomers. It moved through a period when women were strongly independent who could get jobs in factories and perform diligently to a homemaker who can only take care of the family. The role was further changed to the final but slight dominant since women were still dependent on the men. The changes in the feminine mystique were initiated by society and through the propaganda in the TV shows. Therefore, the mass media played a significant role in changing the feminine mystique in society.

 
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