Download Worksheet for VIDEO: “The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter”

Hunter College
Jessie Daniels, Ph.D.
SOC 101
Fall, 2008
Worksheet for VIDEO: “The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter”
(Instructor’s Copy – 60 minutes)
Background. In this film by Connie Field, you will meet Lois Weixel, Margaret
Wright, Lyn Childs, Gladys Belcher, and Wanita Allen, all women who worked in
defense jobs during World War II. Pay attention to how the film is constructed, note how
the “subject interviews” with these women are inter cut with archival footage of the
period – old news, films, recruiting trailers, and pop songs such as “Rosie the Riveter.”
Directions. Watch the video closely, and answer the following questions. Questions on
this worksheet are likely to appear on the next exam.
1. According to your text (and class lecture), what is the difference between “sex”
and “gender”?
2. Prior to World War II, most women in the paid labor force (PLF) were young,
single, and unmarried. According to the film, what happened in World War II to
change this pattern?
3. What kinds of propaganda did the U.S. government create in order to encourage
married women to enter non-traditional jobs?
4. What examples of racial discrimination occurred in defense jobs?
5. How would a functionalist explain the changing pattern of women’s labor force
participation during WWII?
6. How would a conflict theorist explain the changing pattern of women’s labor
force participation during WWII?
Media Literacy Questions:
Everything you see in a film (or any form of media) represents an intentional choice by
the director, editor or cinematographer. Since we get most of our information about the
world from media, it’s important to understand how to make sense of media images. Use
these questions to help you make sense of these images.
1. What are the physical qualities of the motion picture (check where applicable):
____ Music
____ Narration
____ Special effects
____ Color
____ Live action
____ Background noise
____ Animation
____ Dramatizations
____ “Talking Heads”
____ Historic Footage
____ Subject Interviews
____ Newspaper Headlines
2. Note how camera angles, lighting, music, narration, and/or editing contribute to
creating an atmosphere in this film. What is the mood or tone of the film?
3. Does this film appeal to the viewer's reason or emotion? Does it intend to make you
think or feel? How does it make you feel?
4. What is the central message(s) of this documentary?
5. Consider the effectiveness of the film in communicating its message. As a tool of
communication, what are its strengths and weaknesses?
6. How do you think the filmmakers wanted the audience to respond?
7. What information do you gain about this event that would not be conveyed by a
written source? Be specific.
8. Documentaries are often criticized for using too many “talking heads,” that is experts
on the subject of the film who shown talking. Different filmmakers have come up with a
variety of ways to solve the problem of “talking heads.” How does the filmmaker
address that problem in this film?