Amusing the Million - Paper

Gender Defying the traditional Victorian way of life, Coney Island at the beginning of the twentieth century had a profound impact on societal norms. Outside of Coney Island, women were often treated as inferior while men ruled the throne in nearly all aspects of life. However, within Coney Island the gender gap was equalized. Coney Island served as a catalyst to a change in the traditional mindset. In traditional society, women were resigned to the role of wife and homemaker. At Coney Island, however, women experienced more freedom of the opposite extreme. The hotels, amusement parks, and rides and events that the civilians encountered displays the immorality that was assumed at the turn of the century and the years leading up to women’s suffrage. In contrast to the strict gender roles of genteel society, Coney Island provided an open minded and progressive atmosphere in which men and women could be equals. In refined society, men and women were two different types of social classes in themselves.
Revolving around the sphere of the home, women followed the same gender role in all aspects of their life. Women were renowned as morally superior to men in that they were identified as the angel of the house. They supported and nourished the family while at the same time working to ever improve the household. Women catered to the needs of their children and in a sense took all the family tasks into their own hands. They cleaned house throughout the day while simultaneously preparing meals for their family to consume. While having complete control of the house and the moral upper hand, women still, nonetheless, could not differ from the judgment of their spouse. A man carried the reputation of a hard working, industrious, political figure that was treated with royalty within his household. As opposed to women confined to the house, men were very much involved in the relations of the public world. All aspects of industries and politics were experienced solely by the