Reading 'The Feminine Mystique'

[sethstarkaddersmummyreturns]

it's bloody terrifying. I am up to the 4th chapter and so far it could almost have been written today.

I think my head is going to explode. Anyone else read it and had their head explode?

I would join in with that- I still have my copy, I think.

I willl definitely join in, I have my friend's copy.

Those sentences are scaaaary.

To me it's a reaction of the times and the times will never change because women will always have a mothering streak. It's also the situation she's been brought up in. Marriage/work/motherhood isn't always like that for everyone.
When Jane Austen completely made Jane in Pride and Prejudice (one of the sisters) seem weak for wanting to be a mother and a good wife but she wasn't stupid by anymeans and not half as selfish and Little Women where Jo is supposedly better and more fiesty to the other main daughter (is it Meg? it's been a while) but again is so much more selfish. Don't even get me started on Mansfield Park and Wuthering Heights - they'd be locked away now. People look for perfection, I think it doesn't exist! I'm not a housewife before people start to critise but I wonder if it is just women are far too hard on each other, including Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. They are both valid roles and you haven't failed if you prefer one to the other in my opinion or try to mix both.
Book Club fab idea, I love books if you hadn't notcied!
Wow what a long message I have written, time for me to get a life!!

dittany I agree with the finding a decent man(tipsy writing last night, shouldn't be done as some of my writing is not the point I intended to make or if I was even making a point!)
My now(sort of) point was that Jane Austen and these other female writers often has a selfish female that undermines th milder more subservant character, making inaccurate choices for them all in the name womanhood (light gleams in nicwantsone's head - maybe that's the point these authors were trying to make!) However in the end they have to either reign it in a little bit or step up and grow a pair of balls (Fanny - Mans Park) - the message seemed to me to be that balance (being domestic and independent)is needed from both sexes.
Jo was also very critical of Meg wanting to be a good wife when it was what she wanted - which is quite interesting - to me anyway!Women sometimes really are very critical of each other.
On the serving men vs. being a mother - mothers and their sons, that to me is an area where women are often more than happy to serve them in a very different way to their girls. That to me is still serving men and gives the message from a very young age that that is what women do for boys/men? Or am I looking into it too much?! Very interesting discussion though!

I think I've gone way off topic guys, sorry, my mind always seems go off at a tangent. Haven't read The Fem Mystique but am going to track it down at the libary!