We are reading The Feminine Mystique in my social theory class. We were considering Friedan's point that the feminine mystique was an abrupt shift from the more public role that educated women had had during the Second World War. Knowing that the mystique period was brief, followed by the second wave of feminism, one imaginative student suggested that the feminine mystique was like summer vacation. She said that as summer vacation approaches, students look forward to no more books, seeing their friends, staying home, sleeping late. After a few months, though, they can't wait to get back to their studies.
I think this is a nifty analogy.
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2 comments:
I had never thought of it that way, but it really is a unique analogy. It's especially useful since it illustrates the historical lens through which most modern readers read that book now.
I think women have been harmed by feminism as much as they have been helped. It's a wash.
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