The traditional family vs. the modern family.

In this paper, the changing role of women was explored. The major focus was positioned on the changing roles of women in the American family. Public opinion was examined and analyzed to see if America was really "one nation" when it came to the subject of women working with children and a husband. It was of particular interest to see if Americans believed that the family suffered due to the women's new position in society, and just how big this divide between the traditional family of a mother staying at home with her children and the modern family of a women working equally as a hard and as long as her husband.

The subject matter of this paper was first discussed in Alan Wolfe's book, "One Nation, After All." Alan Wolfe devoted this book entirely to the middle class public opinion on issues ranging from religion to homosexuality. He really tried to document and understand what middle class Americans care about, and what is important to them.

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Wolfe With Leaf

Watchful Wolfe

The book first defined the middle class. "For many people around the world becoming American and being middle class are the same thing," (Wolfe, 1). In the book, the middle class is described as the American dream. Most Americans wish to classify themselves in this middle class. Middle class Americans are thought of as grounded, hardworking, and sensible people, especially by conservatives. According to Wolfe the conservative define the middle class as the "moral class." (Wolfe, 8-10). Where as the liberals, consider the middle class to be "hostile" to those different than them, such as minorities. He then discussed that both sides believe that middle class America is split and currently involved in a culture war. Wolfe set out to see if this was true. He focused his study to areas where...