Classical And Contemporary Sociological Theory Text And Readings 2nd Edition By Scott A. – Test Bank

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Chapter 5: Charlotte Perkins Gilman

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Multiple-Choice Questions: 

     

Gilman drew upon which three sociological theoretical traditions for her work? 

symbolic interactionism, functionalism, feminist theory

feminist theory, social Darwinism, symbolic interactionism

social Darwinism, symbolic interactionism, Marxist theory

Marxist theory, functionalism, Durkheimism

Gilman’s semi-autobiographical account of her experience dealing with depression – and one of her most well-known stories – published in 1892 was entitled: 

The Darkened Well

The Yellow Wallpaper

A Day With Sunshine

A Summer Forgotten

For what act during her lifetime was Gilman particularly criticized by that era’s press? 

“giving away” her husband and child

having an abortion

living with another woman

lecturing at universities

When Gilman studied gender inequality following a Marxist tradition, she analyzed which factors? 

political and economic

political and cultural

cultural and religious

economic and religious

Gilman’s focus on differential socialization as a cause for sustained gender inequality stems from which sociological tradition? 

Marxist thought

Functionalism

Symbolic interactionism

Durkheimian thought

Following social Darwinist theory, Gilman went so far as to assert the: 

Incomplete evolution of the female sex

Natural superiority of the female sex

Inferiority of the female sex

Natural dominance of the male sex

Gilman’s basic theoretical orientation is considered by the authors as: 

nonrational, individual

nonrational, collective

rational, individual

rational, collective

Gilman’s passage concerning corsets is used as a metaphor for:

lack of control by women over fashion

their role as mothers

general constraints placed upon women

their role as wives

Gilman’s metaphor and discussion of the corset is similar to which other sociologist’s concept? 

Durkheim’s solidarity

Weber’s bureaucracy

Marx’s false consciousness

Durkheim’s profane

Which of the following terms would not have been a preferred descriptor for white, middle-class women during the late nineteenth century? 

fragile

childlike

commanding

delicate

During which period in the United States was The Yellow Wallpaper rediscovered as a keystone in newly developing women’s studies programs? 

1940s

1960s

1970s

1980s

Which of the following were prescribed by doctors for patients undergoing the “rest cure”? 

immobility

overfeeding

seclusion

all of these

 

Gilman compares the traditional position of the woman as per existing standard division of: labor to that of a 

ruling queen

domesticated horse

trusty dog

pack mule

If women were actually compensated for their work in the home, Gilman states: 

Poor women would still be poor because they are busy looking for work

Poor women with lots of children would get the most money

Rich women with lots of children would get the most money

Rich women would still be rich even without children

In response to the notion “a woman’s place is in the home”, Gilman replies: 

This is correct due to a woman’s childrearing responsibilities

This is correct due to a woman’s naturally nurturing qualities

This is incorrect since not all women have homes and/or own families

This is incorrect since most of the work done is house service not child service

Gilman states “women’s work” in the home is mostly: 

Child rearing

House service

Maintaining the marriage

Gossiping about neighbors

For Gilman, profit for women only comes through the power of: 

Sex distinction

Domestic service

Sex attraction

Child rearing

For Gilman, a woman’s economic status is dependent upon: 

The amount of house service she performs

Her ability to meet her own economic necessities through work

The economic status of her husband

How well she is paid for child care 

Gilman defines “economic independence” as: 

Paying for what one gets

Working for what one gets

Giving to the other an equivalent for what the other gives him

All of the above

According to Gilman, the source of a woman’s economic well-being lies in: 

the number of children she gives birth to 

her ability to pursue advanced educational opportunities    

economic independence 

sex-attraction

Gilman argues the degree of clumsiness, feebleness, and lack of intellectual activity is due to their socialized preoccupation with: 

raising children.

catching a man.

bearing children.

earning a wage.

__________ is the development of masculine and feminine organs and functions. 

Sex-distinction

Sex-attraction

Sex-union

Sex-relations

Gilman argues that, unlike other animals, humans: 

have a strict sexual division of labor that prevents women from developing their natural talents.  

possess secondary sex-distinctions that ensure the healthy reproduction of the species.

have under-exaggerated their sex distinctions, allowing women to pursue a range of social roles.

both b & c

True/False Questions: 

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was the first woman sociologist.

True

False

Gilman considered the traditional family structure as inherently exploitative. 

True

False

Gilman’s feminist perspective inherently referred only to white women. 

True

False

One of the central themes of Gilman’s work is the lack of economic independence for women. 

True

False

Gilman argues that women are so indoctrinated that they resist their own “freedom.” 

True

False

Gilman’s example of the corset is used as a symbol against women’s fashion in her era. 

True

False

Due to Gilman’s prestige as a sociologist, many magazines tried to outbid one another in order to publish The Yellow Wallpaper. 

True

False

The Yellow Wallpaper was one of many pieces of nineteenth century literature to tackle the topic of sexual politics in male-female and husband-wife relations. 

True

False

 

During the nineteenth century it was assumed that women were “incapable” of rational, scientific, logical thought, yet were also not valued for their “feminine” ways of knowing either. 

True

False

The traditional division of labor strips women of their freedom according to Gilman. 

True

False

Gilman compares the traditional position of the woman to that of a domesticated horse.

True

False

A woman’s profit comes through the power of sex-attraction according to Gilman. 

True

False

Gilman feels there is not enough emphasis on sex-distinction for women. 

True

False

Short Answer Questions: 

Name Gilman’s three main intellectual influences as outlined by the authors and give an example of each in Gilman’s work. 

Gilman stated that young girls were encouraged to think, act, and talk differently from boys even if their interests were identical. While these differences have diminished during our own time, discuss areas where you feel these differences are still encouraged. 

Discuss Gilman’s social Darwinist influences and how some of her beliefs based on this type of theory diminish her otherwise strong feminist perspective.

Discuss some of the limitations inherent within Gilman’s particular feminist perspective. 

Discuss how Gilman’s discussion of the corset is connected to Marx’s concept of false consciousness. 

Explain Gilman’s discussion of the corset in your own words. Do you think there are contemporary examples from fashion that could be used for the same argument? 

According to Gilman, what determines the economic (in)dependence of an individual?  How are sex-distinctions related to one’s economic status and equality? (female as nurturer) 

Explain Gilman’s discussion of division of labor. Discuss how much you feel this division of labor has changed in contemporary times. 

Explain Gilman’s comparison of women and the domesticated horse. Also, explain whether you agree or disagree that this comparison still holds true today. 

Explain the difference between the terms “sex-distinction” and “sex-attraction.” Also, explain how they are connected in Gilman’s work. 

Essay Questions: 

Summarize Gilman’s main points on gender inequality. Argue if today’s mass media does or does not perpetuate the themes of her work. 

Discuss the attributes of Gilman’s theory which you feel make her a feminist scholar. Compare and contrast her feminist perspective to contemporary feminist perspectives. Are they different? If you believe they are, explain how and provide examples to support your argument. 

Define Gilman’s terms “sex-distinction” and “sex-attraction.” Discuss how you feel (if you do) society today still overemphasizes both terms. Draw on your own experiences or a friend’s experience to give support for your argument. 

Explain Gilman’s line “…the sex-relation is also an economic relation” from Women and Economics. Also, provide examples from cultures other than the U.S. as part of your explanation. 

Explain Gilman’s passage which begins with the line “the horse, in his free natural condition, is economically independent.” In addition, discuss today’s world using Gilman’s perspective and answer whether you think Gilman’s theory is still relevant. 

Answer Key

Multiple Choice Questions:

c

b

a

a

c

b

d

c

c

c

c

d

b

b

d

b

c

c

d

d

b

a

a

True/False Questions: 

b

a

a

a

a

b

b

b

a

a

a

a

b

Essay Questions :

  1. 

She drew from a variety of theoretical wells including Marxism, symbolic interactionism, and social Darwinism. Her multidimensional theory of gender inequality combines (1) a Marxist emphasis on the economic and political basis for gender inequality, (2) a symbolic interactionist emphasis on how these gender differences are reinforced and institutionalized through the process of socialization, and (3) a sociobiological emphasis on the evolutionary advantages or roots of gender differences.

Gilman sought to show that the division of labor of the traditional family (breadwinner husband/stay-at-home wife) was inherently problematic because it makes women economically dependent on men.

Regardless of how much work she actually does (or doesn’t do) in the home, the housewife’s social and economic standing comes from her husband. Thus, her labor belongs to her husband, not to her.

Gilman emphasized how differential socialization leads to and sustains gender inequality.

Gilman maintained that from the earliest age young girls were encouraged, if not forced, to act, think, look, and talk differently from boys, though their interests and capabilities at that age might be identical.

Like many social Darwinists, Gilman was fascinated by the animal world. She used animal analogies to explain the human condition as well as biological and behavioral

differences between the sexes. Specifically, Gilman contended that women and men, in

general, have different biological “principles” to which they adhere. She maintained that

women’s unique capabilities—particularly their love and concern for others—have tremendous social value, though they are grossly underappreciated.

Students’ answers regarding media will vary but could include: over-sexualized depictions of women in the media/under-sexualized images of men, the occupations of women depicted on television, the personalities and situations popular versus unpopular female characters find themselves in, older news anchors who are men versus the number of women, and what role models little girls have to look to in the media (to name a few). 

  2. 

Gilman is a pivotal feminist theorist: she was one of the first to seek to explain how women and men came to have their respective societal roles and why societies developed gender inequalities.

Gilman analyzed the political and economic factors that produce and reproduce gender inequality. Gilman sought to show that the division of labor of the traditional family (breadwinner husband/stay-at-home wife) was inherently problematic because it makes women economically dependent on men.

Gilman considered the traditional family structure inherently exploitative because the economic compensation of women bears absolutely no relation to her labor.

Gilman emphasized how differential socialization leads to and sustains gender inequality. In doing so, she challenged the longstanding assumption that inherent biological differences precluded men and women from effectively pursuing overlapping social activities. Instead, Gilman maintained that from the earliest age young girls were encouraged, if not forced, to act, think, look, and talk differently from boys, though their interests and capabilities at that age might be identical.

Gilman contended that women and men, in general, have different biological “principles” to which they adhere. She maintained that women’s unique capabilities—particularly their love and concern for others—have tremendous social value, though they are grossly underappreciated. Gilman maintained that, in contrast to men, women did not want to fight, to take, to oppress, but rather to love.

Gilman’s view of women as “saintly givers” and men as “warring beasts” is problematic: when she glorifies the female “instincts” of love and service, her radical feminist theory dissolves into a “sentimental worship of the status quo.” Her insistence on the “giving” nature of women as compared to the “combative” nature of men seems to indicate that women must be and should be the primary caretakers of children, and that there is only so far a man can go in his role as nurturer.

Gilman’s biological arguments about race, which drew not only on social Darwinist theories of “survival of the fittest,” but also on the “commonsense” notions of “manifest destiny” and the “white man’s burden” dominant in her day. Gilman made patently racist remarks.

Gilman also implicitly assumed she was speaking about all women when she was really referring to white women. Certainly, Gilman did not discuss or consider the resources or situations of nonwhite women.

  3. 

Women are “oversexed,” there is too much emphasis on their sex distinction. Rather than a healthy “survival of the fittest” in which women would be taught to be strong and productive, bourgeois women are mandated to be soft and weak, dependent, emotional, and frail. 

She contends that women are not “underdeveloped men, but the feminine half of humanity in undeveloped form.”

In short, like a horse, women are subject to the “power and will of another” because their

domestic labor, for which no wages are received in return, belongs not to themselves but to their husbands. Women are thus rendered economically dependent.

Consequently, Gilman argues, rather than develop her own capabilities, women reduce

themselves to attracting a viable life partner. Economically, this makes sense for women,

because “their profit comes through the power of sex-attraction,” not through their own talents.

Thus, the problem with women’s economic dependence on men is that their energies are

focused on “catching” a man rather than on being productive citizens. Gilman saw it as a

tragic waste that women were forced to spend their time and energy on grooming and “finding a man” rather than on intellectual concerns. Moreover, in denying her capabilities, she reduces herself to being, literally, the “weaker sex.”

Despite significant institutional advances in educational and professional opportunities,

legal rights, and other spheres, some of the social and cultural gender inequities that Gilman discussed are still readily apparent today. Similarly, the popularity of silicone breast implants and the “Girls Gone Wild” culture industry seem to reflect that women continue to be “oversexed” in Gilman’s terms.

Students’ individual examples of women “oversexed” will vary but should remain relevant. 

4. 

Gilman maintains that the traditional division of labor renders women economically dependent on men and, hence, necessarily strips women of their freedom.

 In this arrangement, the woman receives both her social status and her economic viability not through her own labor, but through that of her husband. This makes her labor not her “own,” but a property of the male.

Gilman compares the traditional position of the woman to the domesticated horse: neither the horse nor the woman is “free.” Specifically, Gilman argues that if women were actually compensated for their work in the home (and not “given” the status of their husband), poor women with lots of children would get the most money (for they are doing the most work), while women with no children and those who do no work in the home (i.e., those who have nannies, maids, etc.) would get no compensation.

Gilman argues that “women’s work” is actually mostly house service (cooking, cleaning, mending, etc.), not child service (bearing children, breastfeeding, etc.). Thus, Gilman contends that the traditional division of labor is not biologically driven.

In short, like a horse, women are subject to the “power and will of another” because their domestic labor, for which no wages are received in return, belongs not to themselves but to their husbands. 

Women are thus rendered economically dependent.

Consequently, Gilman argues, rather than develop her own capabilities, women reduce themselves to attracting a viable life partner.

  5. 

Gilman compares the traditional position of the woman to the domesticated horse: neither the horse nor the woman is “free.”

Gilman maintains that her economic dependency makes the woman more akin to a horse than an equal partner in traditional marriage. As Gilman states, The horse, in his free natural condition, is economically independent. He gets his living by his own exertions irrespective of any other creature. The horse, in his present condition of slavery, is economically dependent. He gets his living at the hands of his master; and his exertions, though strenuous, bear no direct relation to his living. . . . The horse works, it is true; but what he gets to eat depends on the power and will of his master. His living comes through another. He is economically dependent. (ibid.:4)

In short, like a horse, women are subject to the “power and will of another” because their domestic labor, for which no wages are received in return, belongs not to themselves but to their husbands. Women are thus rendered economically dependent.

Students’ individual answers regarding the contemporary world will vary but could include the following: a woman’s (especially white) position in society has improved due to new occupational roles, the lessening (though not extinct) marriage expectation, and certain rights (including right to vote). However, women still get paid less than men in the same position, suffer more sexual harassment in the workplace, still are expected to be “feminine”, have children, be good mothers, get married, and never “lose their looks.” Progress has been made, but the paradigm Gilman speaks of is still alive in today’s United States. 

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