View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Faludi asserts that a major objective of the attack on feminism is the desire to:

2. Guess Jeans' advertising campaign is based variously on all the following except:

3. After Reagan's accession to the presidency, Faludi writes that the two political parties do which of the following?

4. Unmarried, childless after forty, hooked on work, a 1970s feminist and the third generation in her family to have a low view of "traditional femininity." This is Faludi's description of which market research trend executive?

5. Faludi asserts that under the Reagan administration which of the following are pressured to generate data that fit the war on women's independence?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Dr. Robert Harvey and why is he discussed in the chapter on the cosmetic industry?

2. Murphy Brown and Roseanne were two characters who were reviled by the backlash according to Faludi. Why were these women disliked so strongly? Also discuss the ways in which the backlash launches their attack of Murphy and Roseanne.

3. Discuss three instances in which Faludi uses personification in her description of the backlash.

4. In the book, Faludi highlights the following three shows: All in the Family, Maude, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Explain what point Faludi makes by highlighting these three shows.

5. Several doctors are discussed in Chapter 8 of the book. Faludi writes about the ways in which they help the backlash and use their credentials to sponsor cosmetic products. Name at least one of these doctors and describe his or her role in the backlash by the cosmetics industry.

6. The CBS hit show Cagney and Lacey deals with the serious issue of the unmarried character, Cagney, becoming pregnant. Summarize Faludi's perspective on the manner in which this issue is resolved?

7. Contrast the media's transition from applauding "brave" relationship choices in the 1970s to the position the media outlets took to address this issue in the 1980s.

8. After Reagan is elected president, many changes occur in the political arena that affect the feminist movement. Discuss three of these changes and how they affect the fight for women's rights.

9. The cosmetics industry has a long history of dictating difficult and unhealthy trends for women's bodies. Discuss what physical looks and trends are pushed from the Victorian era through 1970 according to Faludi.

10. According to survey responses, women believe they need equal pay, the right to abortions, and decent childcare. Discuss how reforms in those areas would impact women's lives.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The feminist movement in America is commonly cited as being strongest in the 1960s and 1970s. Do you agree with this assertion? Why or Why not? How do you believe the movement has affected our society? How are we different and similar to other cultures that have not had similar movements? What do you see as the biggest benefit provided to our society due to the feminist movement? What is the biggest harm inflicted on our society due to this movement?

Essay Topic 2

According to survey responses, women believe they need the right to abortions, maternity leave, and decent childcare. Explain how these three needs are both in harmony and in conflict with one another. How will having access to these choices affect women, their families, and society as a whole?

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 12 of the book, Faludi appears to suggest that popular psychology focuses its efforts on convincing women that they must marry. Why is this one of the goals of the backlash? Why is it an effective attack-point against the feminist movement? Why is it a good strategy to use psychology to make this attack?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,792 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample