Flappers: Paving the Way for the Modern Woman

Mane Mikayelyan

Tara Phillips

Comparative Literature 60AC

19 October 2016

            World War I greatly changed the social dynamic of the United States. Since many men did not return home following the war, women were often left alone or with few possible choices for suitors. With the memory of the horrific war fresh in mind and the recent Spanish flu epidemic, many young people felt that life was short and wanted to enjoy every moment as if it were their last. Women no longer wanted to quietly sit around and wait for men to court them. Their increased independence, recently achieved suffrage, greater opportunity in the work field, and the growth of consumerism promoted a hedonistic outlook on life. Women became less concerned with pleasing their fathers and husbands, and more concerned with pleasing themselves. Altogether, this essentially sparked the rise of the modern woman and more specifically, the flapper.

The flapper directly opposed its predecessor, known as the “Gibson girl.” Inspired by Charles Dana Gibson’s drawings, the Gibson girl loosely styled her long hair on top of her head, wore a long straight skirt, a high collar, and a corset to create a feminine yet modest look. In contrast, the flapper chopped off her hair in a “bob,” “eton,” or “shingle” cut, wore knee length skirts and dresses, wore more makeup, bared her arms and collarbone to the public, and flattened her feminine curves by binding her chest and wearing apparel with lower waistlines. The look was pioneered by the French fashion artist, Coco Chanel and was known as “garconne,” meaning “boy” in French. Indeed, the flapper’s straight torso and short hair made her resemble a young boy. While the Gibson girl was quiet and submissive to men, the flapper participated in “flapper flocks,” in which women empowered one another and had control over male assistants known as “flippers,” breaking the conventional male-female power dynamic.

After Coco Chanel showed off a new tan, tan skin increased in popularity as it suggested a “life of leisure.” Life was no longer just about work anymore; flappers were more concerned about having fun. Flappers were actively engaged in the nightlife of the city and frequented jazz clubs, vaudeville shows and speakeasies—illegal places to drink alcohol during prohibition. Women smoked, drank, and danced more than ever before. They partook in fast-paced dances such as the “Charleston,” and the “Black Bottom Shimmy,” both of which were considered “wild” by older generations. Dancing was not the only thing in their lives that was fast-paced—flappers were also quick to engage in sexual activities. With the increased popularity of Sigmund Freud’s declaration that the libido is “one of the most natural human needs,” women felt encouraged to explore their sexualities. A new social interaction known as a “petting party” emerged, where individuals engaged in activities such as kissing and foreplay. Flappers no longer felt the need to repress their libido as Victorian women once did, and along with increased use of birth control and greater access to automobiles—which provided a new location for sexual activity—unorthodox sexual activity increased exponentially. In fact, flappers began to refer to wedding rings as “handcuffs,” indicating their disdain for constricting limitations and traditionality of marriage.

As with anything that contradicts traditional values and norms, flappers received their fair share of backlash. Critics argued flappers were vapid and reckless, as they engaged in risky and wild behavior but largely ignored serious matters such as politics. They were attacked for acting like men instead of truly expressing themselves and were seen as brash for their excessive makeup and disdain for what was considered socially acceptable behavior. Yet despite all the controversy, the flapper undoubtedly set the precedent for what we consider the modern woman today. Flappers protested critiques of their behavior by arguing a double standard existed that allowed people to ignore similar behavior in men. They scoffed at previous generations of women and called them “clinging vines,” indicating their disapproval of the dependence and passivity of the Victorian women.

I find the flapper particularly interesting because of her unconventional interest in sexual activities and ability to put herself first before others, both of which are characteristics our class has observed in numerous female characters.  In The 42^nd Parallel, Annabelle does not seem too concerned with the criticism she receives regarding her promiscuity and independent nature. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie puts her own happiness before her reputation and is in touch with the naturalness of her sexuality. Both of these characters develop and exhibit modernist values. As the term “flapper” can often refer to a young bird flapping its wings while learning to fly, flappers were truly the pioneers for the modern independent woman.

      

Discussion
1)   I find the flapper interesting as she seems like an exaggeration of the modern values found in many of the female characters we have studied so far. Which characters do you think embody which characteristics of the flapper?
2)    Do you think flappers were solely preoccupied with having fun and deserved the criticism they received about being rude and vapid for not caring for political matters which previous generations of women were largely involved in?

Works Cited

"Flapper." The Ultimate History Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.

"Flapper." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.

"Flappers." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.

Gibson, Charles D. Digital image. Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Gibson_Girls_seaside_-cropped-_by_Charles_Dana_Gibson.jpg>.

Good Time Girls. Digital image. Vintage Dancer. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://cdn.vintagedancer.com/wp-content/uploads/1920s-flapper-dances.jpg>.

"The New, Modern Woman: The Flapper." About.com Education. N.p., 28 June 2016. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.