Charlotte Perkins Gilman “The labor of women in the house, certainly, enables men to produce more wealth than they otherwise could; and in this way women are economic factors in society. But so are horses.” -Charlotte Perkins Gilman In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, horses and other animals had more rights than women and children, and this fact was reflected in the writings of many influential female writers of the time. birminghamhistory.co.uk Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a feminist journalist whose past experiences and current social conditions helped her produce many literary works that focused on the themes of social criticism and a call for change. susanswanonline.com Influence of her past Parents separated Moved a lot uliejordanscott.typepad.com Influence of her past Abolitionist relatives Independent women americaslibrary.gov bannedbooks.world.edu Social Influences Civil War Increased rights for some danmillerinpanama.wordpress.com Social Influences Industrial Revolution Women’s Movement teacherlink.org Themes reflected in her writings louiseh7762.wordpress.com • Social criticism – treatment of wives • Call for change – recognize as equal Themes reflected in her writings • Social criticism – unequal justice • Call for change – equal under the law ouiseh7762.wordpress.com Themes reflected in her writings • Social criticism – gender roles • Call for change – sharing of responsibilities louiseh7762.wordpress.com THESIS Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a feminist journalist whose past experiences and current social conditions helped her produce many literary works that focused on the themes of social criticism and a call for change. poetryfoundation.org Charlotte Perkins Gilman devoted her life and her writings to continually arguing against social conventions that gave women less legal protection and less social standing than what was currently given to horses. blogs.baylor.edu Works Cited Beekman, Mary “Charlotte Perkins Gilman .” Women’s Intellectual Contributions to the Study of Mind and Society. No date. Web. 23 Sept. 2012 <http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/gilman.html>. "Domestic Goddess: Charlotte Perkins Gilman." Women as Writers . 23 Aug. 1999. Web. 25 Sept. 2012 <http://www.womenwriters.net/gilman1.htm>. Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 6: Charlette Perkins Gilman." PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and Reference Guide. No Date. Web. 25. Sept 2012 <http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap6/gilman.html >. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The Yellow Walpaper." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing: 6th Compact Interactive ed. Eds. X. J. Kennedy & Dana Gioia. Boston: Longman, 2008. 314-7. Print