Analysis Of Rosie The Riveter

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Propaganda, a form of communication, uses a variety of techniques to persuade a population in a negative or positive way toward an idea, position, or political agenda. This goal is often achieved by using misleading information. This use of advertising forms an opinion or set of beliefs and ideas in the audience’s mind that the creator of the piece is attempting to formulate. The 1942 World War II poster, Rosie the Riveter, is a prime example of propaganda due to the portrayal of a strong, leading woman that persuaded millions of women into joining the United States workforce during war time. By the help of this poster, the number of working women rose from 14.6 million to 19.4 million in just 3 years (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008). The Rosie It allowed them to enter the male dominated manufacturing workforce, and prove their gender as equal since they could accomplish the same amount of work the men could. To help with this transition of breaking out of the barrier, the icon of Rosie the Riveter was created in a specific, strong fashion. This is first seen through her flexing her arm muscle, a visible sign to demonstrate physical strength. It is also commonly only associated that men have muscles and not women. This helps break society to form the belief that women too can be muscular, therefore decreasing the number of people who believe this stereotype. Next, her outfit resembles that of a worker for the Westinghouse Company, an electric and manufacturing company, showing the entrance into male dominated jobs. The specific logo located on her upper arm, is that of one of the companies plant floor workers. During WWII, Westinghouse made major breakthroughs in various war supplies such as in plastics, x-rays, radar, atomic energy, and bombsights. These breakthroughs made a tremendous impact on U.S naval vessels, tank guns, and jet engines. (Dewar, J,2011). Due to this, the Rosie the Riveter poster helped to recognize the company’s assistance to the war effort, which in gained the public’s respect. Rosie’s shirt is also blue, representing a blue This also encouraged women since for so many decades they had been repeatedly told that they couldn’t do certain tasks. Until 20 years prior, women couldn’t vote or work. For once women were looked upon as useful. They could work and feel proud of themselves for this work since it was helping their loved ones and their country. Feeling as the inferior gender for so long, this phrase brought hope into the hearts of thousands of women who truly began to believe that they could accomplish anything that they tried to with the right amount of strength and hard work. Although the original purpose of this piece of propaganda was to help the war effort, it also became an icon for the feminist movement. People across the nation perceived woman as weak creatures that were simply men’s sidekicks. However due to the strong and hardworking image of Rosie the Riveter, the audience then associates strong with women, causing a rippling effect into the public’s viewpoint. Sexist opinions began to be changed and strength was associated with women for a change instead of strictly

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