“Rosie the Riveter” Essay
The film “Rosie the Riveter” is an outstanding documentary, which tells about the period of U.S. history during the World War II. This film focuses on one of the most interesting themes – namely, the role of women during the war, and feminism.
The movie was filmed by director Connie Field in 1980, and was later widely recognized and was listed in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its historical and cultural importance. The film tells the story of a female idol Rosie Riveter, and also allows you to look at the life and status of women during the war. This time was very hard for all Americans, and required strength and will to fight. Most men joined the military forces, they left their jobs and were forced to fight. Nevertheless, factories in the United States had to continue working and needed workers, especially defense plants producing armaments and other important goods for the army. Then American women left their homes and housework and joined the work in the factories. They were willing to work and worked double-shifts, they showed themselves as independent, strong and ready to work as men. On the other hand, women found a new sense of accomplishment, have showed them new possibilities of freedom and independence.
It is interesting and important to note that the director Connie Field used interviews with women in the film. The director interviewed hundreds of women who had gone into war work, that helped to gather necessary material, and also to show the things as they really were. In those interviews Connie Field asked real women to speak and share their thoughts and experience about that time, and those women could recall their nostalgia and bitterness of memoirs. Also the director used newsreel footage and popular songs of that time, which were used to encourage and inspire women to work. All this made possible not just to show events and facts, but to reflect the essence and convey the reality of that time, and namely of American women and their new life.
And what was then? Could those women continue to work after the war and save their new position of independence and emancipation? It’s a pity but after the war ended women were discouraged from working, and again they were called to return to their house work and kitchens. As position of women earlier and at that time supposed the role of women only as housewives, as devoted wives and caring mothers, but who had no rights to be equal with men in work. That is why after the war women were called to return to raise families and stay in the kitchen. Though further many women did not want to put up again with the infringement of their rights and liberty, with restrictions in their lives. It is possible to say that at that time was born a movement for the freedom of women and their equality with men.
Thus the film “Rosie the Riveter” raises such important issues as gender inequality, sexual and gender discrimination against women in society, families and at work in America in the mid 20th century. The film gives a view of the war and life after the war from the perspective of women, or rather from their position. This documentary is one of the most interesting and truthful, and therefore it received recognition both of the audiences and critics.
