Carolyn Strange’s novel Toronto’s girl problem: the perils and pleasures of the city, 1880-1930 is essentially one of the few texts that study young single working women historically. In this text she aims to assess the struggles and views of single women historically, in being able to achieve the freedom they have today to work outside of the domestic sector through industrialization in the late 19th and early 20th century in Toronto. Strange examines many different aspects of the notion in order to see what affected their work atmosphere and how, such as, race, class, religion, gender etc. (Strange, p.214). Strange argues that the struggle against oppression to the goal of independence was a long and complicated one and explains the relationships that these women had with the city.
In the novel, Strange argues the struggles of the single working women by assessing the idea proposed of these women as problems, or as government agencies called it “the girl problem”, which was essentially explained as “the vulnerability and moral irresponsibility of young working women in the city” (p.23). Strange argues that young women who were set out to find some source of independence in a city like Toronto were being seen as problematic. The author introduces the idea of an ‘ideal’ woman or an ideal mother, …show more content…
Although much has not changed to this date, women still continue to be treated unfairly and are expected to maintain a well marriageable image, as assessed in the novel. The idea of a young woman entering the workforce for men seemed unreal in the most sceptical way for men, and the rest of the society as well. Toronto’s girl problem: the perils and pleasures of the city, 1880-193 concludes that these women have changed the face of Toronto, from making it a male dominated city to one dominated by both
In the novel, Strange argues the struggles of the single working women by assessing the idea proposed of these women as problems, or as government agencies called it “the girl problem”, which was essentially explained as “the vulnerability and moral irresponsibility of young working women in the city” (p.23). Strange argues that young women who were set out to find some source of independence in a city like Toronto were being seen as problematic. The author introduces the idea of an ‘ideal’ woman or an ideal mother, …show more content…
Although much has not changed to this date, women still continue to be treated unfairly and are expected to maintain a well marriageable image, as assessed in the novel. The idea of a young woman entering the workforce for men seemed unreal in the most sceptical way for men, and the rest of the society as well. Toronto’s girl problem: the perils and pleasures of the city, 1880-193 concludes that these women have changed the face of Toronto, from making it a male dominated city to one dominated by both