At the turn of the century, ideals were firmly established in the United States—ideas according to which a woman’s lot was to raise children and keep order in the home, while a man was assigned the role of provider and protector of the family. But at the turn of the century, representatives of the “weaker sex” step by step began to reclaim their place in society, changing their character, appearance, and lifestyle.
The main heroines of novels and short stories by American writer Edna Ferber, the Pulitzer Prize laureate, are just such strong and independent women. Despite discrimination and the constant difficulties of overcoming traditional views about a woman’s place in society, they confidently move toward their goal, invariably achieving what they set out to do.