Life And Times Of Rosie The Riveter: Film Analysis

A Film Analysis of Intersectionality and Gender Binary Thinking in The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter (1980) by Connie Field

In the article it says that women entered jobs like engineering, other professions, and manufacturing jobs that many people believed that those jobs were too dangerous for women and women were too weak. In their jobs, women made airplanes, warships, munitions, and tanks working in technical and scientific fields. Also, after the war, women were still employed as secretaries, waitresses, or in other clerical jobs. This was often called the “pink collar” force. This article shows how sometimes women are given clerical jobs that show people underestimate the abilities of women.

In “Women at Work,” an article adapted from the work of La Verne Bradley published in the August 1944 edition of National Geographic Magazine, the strength and perseverance of women during war times is explored. Prior to World War II, the workplace was seen as “a no woman’s land” (Bradley, 144, p. 83). During World War II woman began filling their men’s’ shoes more than ever before as they filed into factories (Bradley, 1944, p. 83). “At the same time [as preparing and helping their country with the war], [women] worked hard to keep their homes or set up new ones” (Bradley, 1944, p. 75). Men’s’ Attitudes

Before the war, it was not likely for women to work in factories. However, by 1945, women made up one third of all industrial workers. This was a big change for women, because women usually only worked at home

Before the war, the most common form of employment for a woman was as a domestic servant. However, women were also employed in what were considered suitable occupations e.g. teaching, nursing, and office work. When the war started in 1914, many women were forced to leave their jobs in things such as jewelry making and coal mining. These women needed work so they decided to do whatever they could to help the war effort. They began doing things such as, becoming nurses, working in naval factories and becoming rail workers.

The symbolic icon of Rosie the Riveter contributed greatly to women joining the workforce in the United States during World War II, later becoming a symbol of female empowerment. Women were no longer considered the typical housewife; she was now the working wife as nearly one-fourth of married women worked outside the home (History). These women who started working during World War II were referred to as “Rosies,” hence, the name Rosie the Riveter (Alchin). Rosie was a symbol representing the women who worked during war times (Sanders).

(pbs.org) But a source of labor was high in demand since most of the men left to fight in the war. This opened up many opportunities for the minorities in America, especially women. Before the war, women didn’t have outside jobs. Their role was to tend to family affairs and stay at home while the husband worked to make a living.

But what is rarely mentioned is all the behind the scenes work women were responsible for while men were off fighting in the military. The war disrupted their ordinary lives, and the everyday roles men were employed in needed to be filled. Women throughout the United States assumed untraditional roles to so that life would continue, now being involved in politics, factories, businesses, commanding the household, and helping during

Communities conducted scrap metal drives. To help build the armaments necessary to win the war, women found employment as electricians, welders and riveters in defense plants.” The attack changed the way Americans lived. Women found jobs and food, clothes, gas and many other resources had to be rationed. There had to be enough for them and to give supplies to the men over

Women started to work. World War 2 changed the work industry for women. Before, men were the ones working in factories, farms, etc, but, when they left for war, about 350,000 women had to start working to support their families and the soldiers by working as engineers in factories, farmers, and many other occupations. They worked hard, dripping sweat from their skin to the ground while using

According to U.S. Department of labor, “If you have made buttonholes on a machine, you can spot-weld a plane bound for Berlin and take your place among the millions of American women on the labor front” . Women entered the labor force working on the line, and they would work eight hour shifts. These were new opportunities for women because they showed that they could do more than just cook and clean. Many individuals doubted that women could work as hard as men, women proved them wrong. They operated heavy machinery, just as a man would.

After the start of WWI, changing the role of women became a huge favorable change for the society. In the December of 1941, Britain put into place the second National service act, and therefore, Britain became the first nation to conscript women in the world and it gave them a part in the conflict in the making of history (hubpages). They had organizations such as the FANY-First Aid Nursing Yeomanry,- and VAD-society of female volunteers which was part of the effort toward war. New jobs opened up for women through ads in newspapers, which included tram drivers, postal workers, police patrols, chemical manufacturers, munition workers, typists, and many more. Counter argument: Some might argue that the roles of women did not change much due to

To gain their support, the public image of women had to be changed. More propaganda was produced, encouraging women to enter the workforce as a way to continue the progression of the United States as their men went off to fight. Propaganda targeted towards women usually consisted of an emotional tone rather than an authoritative one. “To mobilize women… government propaganda needed… central theme… concentrated on patriotism and emotional appeals” (Mathis). It was known by the government that the best way to persuade women into aiding the war effort was to appeal to their emotions; women were angry that their loved ones were forced to go off to war to partake in a fight that was believed America had no need to be in.

During World War II, women had taken men’s jobs while they

More than 310,000 women worked in the U.S. aircraft industry. One example is Rosie the Riveter, she was mostly known for helping the United States to recruit women to work. (document 1) She was in newspapers, movies, posters, photographs, and articles. Rosie the Riveter represents the American women who worked in factories and