Social Expectations

While watching the video I found that I could relate to and agree with Anna on many things. I too, prefer butterflies over rainbows, and I also like my life to have balance to it. However, I don't really feel like "finding a balance" presents a problem only for little girls; men and boys have difficulty with it too. Willie was having trouble finding a balance between spending time in his internship at the apothecary shop all week and time with his doting mother, and Trueman had some difficulty finding a balance between letting Gerty sit at home and clean the house all day (like she wanted) and sending her to school (like he knew was right, and as he was recommended).

Finding a balance to life is still emphasized today, but I do think the lines blur more so when it comes to a woman’s part in life. Now that we are past the point of teaching little Ellens that they must only grow up into a bunch of Mrs. Montgomerys who sit around and are served toast all day, women are stuck in trying to find a balance between family and work. Gerty is amazed at her newfound housekeeping skills: “mak[ing] the beds…set[ting] the table, toast[ing] the bread, and wash[ing] the dishes”, as she should be (p108). These are praiseworthy things she is doing to show her gratitude to her “Uncle True”, and only being a “good little housekeeper” was considered more worthy than as submissive as it might be today. If Gerty wants to live the “luxurious life” Willie points out to her, with “rich carpets” and “gilded picture frames” she will only have to marry well, and continue being an ideal housekeeper and hope for a rich husband. But if Gerty wanted that type of life today without doing any work in return? I’m guessing her husband’s friends would call her a gold digger behind his back.