Chapter 3 primarily discusses various family structures throughout American history. Starting with the Colonial Family and moving through the Great Depression, World War II, and the Golden Fifties, the author describes both the differences and the similarities between these various structures. Chapter 3 also covers important concepts in relation to the family such as the workplace involvement of women and children, dating and relationships, and the cult of domesticity.
I found the portion of the chapter that discusses the early dating rituals of the Colonial period to be very interesting. The concept of bundling fascinated me. I also found it interesting that the media had such an influence on women’s roles in the workplace during the World War II era and the subsequent Golden Fifties: in one moment women are praised for contributing to the economy, and the next moment they are chastised for it.
I believe that more time could have been spent discussing the waves of immigration, specifically in regards to Asian-Americans. Nearly every other ethnic group was mentioned in detail, but Asian-Americans were not.
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