Betty Friedan is the author of the bestselling book titled The Feminine Mystique, which was released in 1963 and quickly became a roaring success as it resonated with many women around the world. It is a feminist work that challenges mainstream perceptions of women and femininity from the 1950s and 1960s. Friedan persuaded her readers by recalling the progress before World War II, actively engaging with other devastated women, and employing persuasive strategies. Although major progress was seen, the work is still pertinent in today’s culture since women are still fighting to be respected and to resist demands to fit into socially prescribed definitions of femininity.
The expression “the problem with no name,” which Friedan (1963) utilizes interchangeably with “the feminine mystique” throughout the chapter, relates to a certain type of repressive femininity (para. 1). This issue prevents women from realizing their potential and having an identity separate from a spouse and family. Even while many women believe they are the only ones wondering, “I want something more than my husband and my children and my home,” they are by no means the only ones (Friedan, 1963, para. 10). In this chapter, Friedan (1963) narrates the stories of a mother of four who quit college at nineteen to marry and a young wife in a Long Island project who both no longer “feel alive” (para. 9). By providing instances and conversations with other housewives who share their discontent and dissatisfaction, Friedan (1963) appeals to the ladies reading her book. This technique should help other women identify with the issue, motivate them to reconsider their priorities, and inspire them to take a stand.
Friedan (1963) writes in the opening chapter that “in the fifteen years after World War II, this mystique of feminine fulfillment became the cherished and self-perpetuating core of contemporary American culture.” (para. 4) By doing so, she reminds the reader that the inspirational “feminist” fight for female rights was led by revolutionary middle-class women in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Through this uprising, people were able to obtain the freedoms of autonomous ownership rights, higher education, respectable professions, and voting rights. Nevertheless, a massive constraint was brought about by the Second World War and its repercussions. The new stereotype of the “feminine” woman, the empty-headed housewife who “wrote proudly on the census blank: Occupation: housewife,” replaced the image of the intellectual, innovative, and civic-minded woman (Friedan, 1963, para. 4). There was a significant setback to all the progress made in the pursuit of gender equality.
Friedan (1963) uses rhetorical methods, such as anaphora, to illustrate the situation to the greatest degree possible and persuade the audience. She uses anaphora to describe the emotions of a desperate woman by beginning each sentence with the same word. The word “or” represents the anaphora “or she stays inside her house and cries. Or her children tell her a joke, and she doesn’t laugh because she doesn’t hear it” (Friedan, 1963, para. 7). In this approach, she underlines the gravity of woman’s feelings and convinces the reader to pay attention to the issue. She employs another form of anaphora in her writing by beginning several sentences in a row with the phrase “I began to see” (Friedan, 1963, para. 10). She wants the reader to know that she became aware of the current oppression and hopes that the audience would do the same, finally seeing the deeply embedded inequality.
When the book was first published, a societal message came from a variety of sources encouraging women to find contentment solely within the home. A powerful propaganda campaign was set in action to glorify homemaking and discourage women’s yearning for more than a spouse, a home, and offspring. The crucial word in this mind control technique was “feminine.” After adopting this message, women started getting married and having kids at progressively younger ages, with many leaving college early or getting married immediately after graduating high school. Women were trained to feel sorry for “unfeminine” who pursued careers during this period. More feminine women did not desire autonomy, a profession, or education. However, many of these women discovered that their lifestyle was demotivating and undeserving of the freedom and expertise they had gained in school and during their working years.
In the twenty-first century, traditional gender roles have evolved throughout time. With the emergence of breadwinning moms and stay-at-home fathers, new gender roles have altered marital relationships. Breadwinning mothers are full-time working mothers who are the complete antithesis of the typical housewife. Conversely, the emphasis is on furthering one’s education and seeking a career. Women are now urged to marry and reproduce far less frequently. In the Western world, gender roles have lately evolved, with women increasingly holding and running huge enterprises, heading political parties, and achieving higher academic qualifications across all fields.
The destiny of women cannot be completely changed unless the truth that Friedan talked about is acknowledged and applied. Friedan (1963) piqued the reader’s interest by reminding them of history, giving experiences of other struggling housewives, and employing rhetorical methods. Historically, feminists were able to achieve minor reforms within the context of a capitalist system. However, women now have a greater degree of independence and possibilities. It is beneficial, but not sufficient, for women to become more socially conscious, as Betty Friedan (1963) urges. She encouraged a whole generation of women to fight for their happiness and rights, for only a complete overhaul of the vicious system might save them from greater marginalization.
Reference
Friedan, B. (1963). The feminine mystique. Dell/Laurel.