Feminine Mystique

The Feminine Mystique, a novel written in 1963 by Betty Friedan, provided a strong wake up call for women in America about a problem that was negatively impacting them, but not spoken of. After women fought so hard in the 1930's for the right to vote and equality with men in many areas, the author describes how changes in attitude after World War II were convincing women that their most important role is to get married, have kids and take care of the home. However, these women then felt an emptiness and loss of purpose which led to depression and many other problems. Friedan’s book is very effective, for it is written like a thesis, filled with facts and first hand accounts to support her ideas and beliefs. She uses many different sources and techniques in her novel, such as first hand accounts. Sources such as interviews with hundreds of housewives make her arguments very believable and almost undeniable. However, Friedan does not provide any examples of women who are happy as housewives, which leads me to believe that the book did not have a properly balanced view.
One positive, informative point that I agree with about this novel is how it is comprised of many first-hand accounts. Friedan backs up her beliefs with multiple direct quotes from other women dealing with the situation which she is proving. As an example, one direct statement included in the novel spoken by a housewife was, “A tired feeling... I get so angry with the children it scares me... I feel like crying without any reason” (Friedan 64). Therefore, quotes such as this were very helpful with supporting the author’s case by giving proof through the perspectives of housewives. Friedman applied many testimonies into her novel, reinforcing her beliefs through the personal experiences of hundreds of women. One woman talks about how every day is the same, with the dull routine of cleaning and taking care of her children with little time for her to rest (Friedan 72). Friedan’s inclusion of first-hand