Research Paper On Rosie The Riveter

Three women claim that they are the original artist, known as “Rosie the Riveter.” So, who is Rosie, and what makes her an artist? According to dictionary.com, an artist is defined as one who is skilled at a particular task or occupation. With this definition, one may wonder if any person can be an artist. The answer is an astounding yes. Many people are granted the opportunity to be artists--not just those who create material art such as drawings, paintings, songs, etc. Rosie the Riveter is a fictitious character, who is frequently found on propaganda posters created during World War Two. She is an artist because she influenced women to join the war efforts, and became an iconic American image to broaden women’s civil rights. Rosie the Riveter

In the months leading up to World War Two, additional labor was needed in the United States. Men had to fight in the war, so they left their jobs unoccupied. Women were needed to work in the war front, as well as in “essential civilian” jobs--jobs that kept the home front running smoothly. Examples of these occupations are teachers, taxi drivers, child-care workers, bank tellers, restaurant workers, and police officers (Colman). Housewives were the only group of people who were not contributing to the war efforts, or in Teresa English’s words “the only untapped demographic.” At first, there was a reluctance to ask women to leave their homes and many concerns about women becoming independent, but Uncle Sam was desperate. Thus, in 1943, the Advertising Executives and War Information Office carefully created the image of a housewife going to the factory for women’s sake. This is where Rosie greatly began to contribute to the war efforts, as propaganda was released of her. Rosie portrayed the ideal American woman. She was loyal, efficient, patriotic, and pretty (The History Engine). She also depicted a woman who could efficiently perform all of her duties with grace and charm, while still maintaining a feminine image. “Propaganda is the...ideas spread by an organization with the

However, Rosie was a symbol “inspired by women who took up the factory and munitions jobs left behind by conscripted men, and whose work undoubtedly moved the cause [of feminism] forward by decades” (Winson). She represented all women who were brave enough to work during World War Two, despite the prejudice and inequalities. She was skilled in accomplishing the difficult task of getting housewives to work during the war. In fact, Rosie is the exact definition of an artist. When asked how certain images become icons within a society, Casey McGrath, answered saying: “A lot of work, and some cultural evolution.” Rosie was not originally supposed to portray feminism. However, over the years, as most icons do, Rosie has taken on a new meaning. She began to portray strong, independent women. She became the contemporary symbol of women’s advancement at the peak of advertising in the United States--a symbol of the past, present, and future. “The evolution of Rosie shows how visuals are living documents that do not have fixed connotations” (McGrath). Rosie, a fictional character, broke the stereotype of women being objects to men, which undoubtedly makes her a skilled tool in propaganda and a feminist