Womens roles in American society

Womens roles in American society have been changing since America was founded, but some of the most profound changes have taken place between the 1950s and present day. The films Mildred Pierce, Pleasantville, and Breakfast at Tiffanys all deal with these changes that women have made. In the 50s, women were supposed to be housewives and werent expected to work outside of the house. Many women were also thought of as property of men in the 50s and had very little individuality because of this. As the years past, women attempted to break this mold and women have changed countless amounts since the 1950s. The women of today and the women of the 50s have many similarities, but the women of the 50s struggled to define women and built todays women from scratch. The early 1950s in America had a strange idea for women, the film Mildred Pierce deals with these ideas. Mildred is a housewife, who wants to become independent and make something of her life. She leaves her husband to pursue a career of her own. Mildred finds that Americans in that time dont have much respect for an independent woman. Mildred has a business idea and gets two men to fund her idea. Her business is very successful, but she is funded, Mildred isnt really independent. The film portrays Mildred this way to show the attitude of Americans in the 1950s. Mildreds business becomes very wealthy, but her investors, who are men, sell her out and she loses everything. The film had a very negative attitude towards women and tries to portray them as nothing but housewives. After Mildreds business is sold, she is bankrupt and isnt sure what to do. Mildreds desire is crushed and she considers returning to her husband and living with Americas role for women! . Mildred Pierce is the beginning of womens changing ro