Construction of the American Women:

A Women’s role in society portrayed in Better Homes and Gardens and Country Living Magazine

By Maura Imel

Society constructs…

• The “American Dream”, including family construction and the roles each individual should play.

• What is means to be a woman, wife, and mother.

• Both, Better Homes and Gardens and Country Living focus on the idea that the woman is the center of the household.

Advertisements

• The majority of the ads create this idea that women clean, cook, and take charge in their house.

• Ads are for cleaning products, • foods for your kids lunches, • hygiene products, etc…

Men vs. Women

• The amount of men shown in advertisements is very limited.

• Better homes and Gardens and in Country Living, majority of the ads are either strictly products, women, or a woman with her child.

• If a man does appear it is for a certain type of advertisement or he is with his family.

Signifiers of Wealth

• Most advertisements focus on saving money - Example: advertisement for a cell phone with the “Family Plan”

The “American Dream”

• Each magazine feeds into the idea • of the “American Dream” • The advertisements construct • ideas of what a family• needs, who does what, • what they should look like, etc…