Difference between revisions of "325--2011--Week 12 Questions/Comments"
From McClurken Wiki
(→Pursell reading) |
(→Nye Reading) |
||
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
--Sara Krechel | --Sara Krechel | ||
| + | David Nye refers to Christine Frederick and the application of Taylorism to household duties when he discusses home economics. He claims, “Home economics was a required course for girls in the 1920’s. The appeal of the new domestic science lay in a reconception of the home as a management site controlled by women, who through applied science, would free themselves from drudgery and raise the quality of family life” (Nye 252). Basically women would be more productive by applying the scientific method to their household chores. Nye then discusses the impact that electricity had on the homemaker’s duties. Nye notes, “Long work hours in the home persisted as a result of rising expectations for middle-class women, who were exhorted to prepare more varied meals, vacuum the house more often, maintain a larger wardrobe, do laundry more frequently, and spend more time with the children” (272). Women were expected to accomplish more because they had the help of electrical appliances, but what appliance would really save more time? As we discussed in class, with the rise of new electronic appliances, women were expected to have dinner ready for the husband when he returned from work; their clothes were expected to be clean and for everyone to look their best; and the house should be cleaned frequently. Did these artifacts of technology make housework easier or just change the type of housework? Dr. McClurken mentioned Leave It to Beaver in class concerning the view of the housewife taking care of her family with all the new household technology. This reminded me of another 1950’s television show, the ''Donna Reed Show''. Donna is the model housewife and model mother. She does all the cooking and the cleaning all while wearing her pearls, high heels, and one of her best dresses. Her children are well-behaved and her husband, who is a doctor, comes home every evening to a perfectly cooked dinner. She is the perfect housewife who uses all of the available technology to ensure her family’s satisfaction and well-being.—Samantha W. | ||
== Pursell reading == | == Pursell reading == | ||
