Fictions of Western American Domesticity: Indian, Mexican, and Anglo Women in Print Culture, 1850-1950

White writers like Edna Ferber and Willa Cather avoided the subject of their own domestic labor by writing about the performance of domestic labor by others, showing that American print culture sought to persuade other women to be angels in their houses. Zink further explores lesser-known works such as Mexican American cookbooks and essays in Indian boarding school magazines to show how women writers dialoged domesticity exemplify the cross-cultural encounters between colonial domesticity and sovereign domesticity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2022
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press

This captivating essay delves into a perplexing phenomenon that has puzzled numerous feminist scholars: the enduring appeal of popular authors like Edna Ferber, who led lives far from conventional, while crafting traditional fiction. In her insightful analysis, Amanda J. Zink argues that white writers like Ferber and Willa Cather deftly sidestepped the subject of their own domestic labor by immersing themselves in the portrayal of domestic labor performed by others. Through their literary works, particularly novels and advertisements, American print culture shifted its gaze away from portraying women as angelic figures confined to the domestic sphere and instead embarked on a mission to persuade other women to embrace the role of angels within their own homes. Zink's research extends to lesser-known treasures, such as Mexican American cookbooks and essays featured in Indian boarding school magazines, which shed light on how women writers engaged in dialogue about domesticity. By contextualizing these interpretations within their historical frameworks, Zink unveils how these writers both championed and challenged the prevailing ideology of domesticity. This thought-provoking essay offers a profound exploration into the complex interplay between literature, culture, and the evolving ideals of femininity, providing a fresh perspective on the enduring influence of popular authors like Edna Ferber.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780826363947