Madison Shainheit

Ian Murphy

English 110: First Year Composition

24 February 2022

Source-Based Essay

What comes to mind when someone says the word “flapper”? Most people think of the 1920s- prohibition era, women with short dresses and even shorter hair who liked to drink and who acted promiscuously. 1920s flapper culture, however, is much more nuanced than the general history most people know. It was a time of societal reinvention for women, and though it was merely a decade, flapper culture had a long-lasting effect on society that can still be observed today. Analyzing the many ways in which people write about flapper culture gives one an insight into the function of a flapper within society, as well as the publics’ stance on flappers. 

The first source consulted was a scholarly article titled “Finding the Flapper: A Historiographical Look at Image and Attitude” by Stella Ress. Ress herself is a historian, and cites the work of many other historians throughout her article. The audience of the article would be those interested in 1920s flapper culture, specifically in an academic nature, due to her article being peer-reviewed. Ress takes a very gendered approach to her article, primarily writing about women and how they paved the way for many women of the future. Therefore, it could also be inferred that the audience could also include those searching for a gendered study of 1920s culture. Ress comments on the impact of the flapper, “Being a young, pretty, semi-independent, precocious female is always in vogue, and as Conor suggested, its roots lie in the flapper costume and attitude” (Ress). The author’s use of kairos serves to implicate the flapper in having an impact on women in society that is still seen today. Throughout the article, Ress interprets the sentiments of other historians on the 1920s flapper, remarking on where they went wrong, or where their thoughts become outdated. Due to this structure of writing, the author takes a very candid tone, unrelenting in providing her opinions and knowledge on the subject, though never coming off as overly-critical. The author’s purpose is observed throughout each paragraph, with each historical interpretation of the flapper that Ress analyzes, she is searching for the true meaning of the flapper archetype throughout history. With Ress’ thorough approach in observing each facet of flapper culture, her purpose is well-achieved. It is also clear throughout the article, that the author has a positive stance on flappers and the new feminine ideals that she carved into society. Ress states, “Like a high-powered attorney, he argued for the flapper, but perhaps scared of possible incriminating remarks, he never allowed her to take the stand. McGovern failed to acknowledge the flapper as a cognizant being; instead she became a victim of those who do not understand her choices, her opinions, her nature, and her very history” (Ress). As seen in this example, the author is referring to the flapper as though she is one individual person, rather than a decade-long female archetype. This is the opposite of what is done by McGovern-the source being analyzed by the author. By allowing the flapper to “take the stand”, and reducing this fairly broad category of women into one person, the author utilizes pathos. The humanization of the flapper plays on the readers’ emotions, helping them to understand the plight of a category of women so often reduced to and criticized for her appearance. 

The next source is from Smithsonian Magazine, entitled “The History of the Flapper, Part 1: A Call for Freedom”, and is written by Emily Spivack. The author’s inherent credibility on the subject of flappers was not entirely apparent. However, Spivack makes up for this by providing a myriad of factual information about the time period. For example, the author recounts a historical event that encompasses the essence of flapper culture. “It was an age when, in 1927, 10-year-old Mildred Unger danced the Charleston on the wing of an airplane in the air” (Spivack). By stating true historical events, the author is using logos to help establish credibility, as well as to set the tone for what it was like to be a flapper. Spivack also further solidifies these ideas by providing photographs from the time period. The audience of this article would be readers of Smithsonian Magazine, or perhaps those exploring a general or personal interest in 1920s culture, rather than an academic or professional one. Rather than commenting on the societal impact and significance of the flapper, the author mainly focuses on the key elements of the flapper and the sense of freedom women at the time gained from indulging in this “new woman”. Because of this, the author’s tone could be described as idealistic or reminiscent. By focusing on the more superficial elements of the flapper, the author ignores many of the longer-lasting effects of flapper culture on society. The author’s purpose in this article is to provide a brief glimpse into what it means to be a flapper, and how it gives women a sense of liberation. Similarly to the previous source, Spivack also takes a positive stance on flapper culture. This is demonstrated in the idealized nature of the article. 

The third source is in the form of an archived newspaper article in the New York Times, titled “Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity and the Women Who Made America Modern”, by Janet Maslin. Maslin has been a writer for the New York Times for many years. The audience of this article could be New York Times readers, or those with a more surface-level interest in 1920s culture. The tone of this article is informative and timely, as the author is knowledgeable about flappers and the 1920s, while also drawing attention to similar aspects between the flapper-era and modern times. The purpose of the article is to draw a connection between the roaring twenties and modern day glamor in pop-culture. This is apparent in Maslin’s continuous references to modern pop-culture and how it bears many similarities to the roaring twenties. Maslin utilizes kairos to bridge this connection, stating, “…but like it or not, [Paris] Hilton does perpetuate a few flapper attitudes” (Maslin). In bringing up modern references, Maslin not only gives the reader a concept to relate flapper culture to, but also emphasizes the relevance that is still observed from flapper culture today. The author takes an overall positive stance on flapper culture. 

The final source being analyzed is a blog post titled “What is a Flapper? The Glamorous History of Women in the 1920s”, written by Hannah Muniz. The author’s credibility is relatively uncertain, though her writing relies on references to well-known historical figures and historical circumstances. Muniz mentions other significant historical events during the 1920s, stating, “Political changes happening at this time, too, gave women more confidence in their freedoms and ability to step away from Victorian notions of womanhood. The 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, giving women the right to vote for the first time” (Muniz). In bringing up the relevant historical circumstances, the author uses logos to add context and meaning to the seemingly sudden historical changes that occurred for women during the 1920s. The audience for this source would likely be people first exploring an interest in 1920s culture, or those exploring the concept in an otherwise ameteur nature. Throughout the article, Muniz establishes a forthright and scholarly tone. This is achieved in the manner in which she uses factual information to back up her claims about flapper culture. The author’s purpose is mainly to provide the historical context that allowed the flapper culture to emerge. Muniz was also pro-flapper culture. 

The analyzing of various types of literary sources gleaned some interesting conclusions. Notably, the more scholarly the source, the more the importance of time was prevalent. For example, the author of the peer-reviewed article placed an emphasis on the use of kairos. This could be due to a desire to establish continuity over time. However, at least for the four sources used, there was not a lack of factual information regardless of how academic the article. Additionally, in looking at four different types of sources on the same subject, it becomes clear how important the various elements of rhetoric are in forming an article. Because no two articles utilized the rhetorical elements in the same way, I was able to observe how simple alterations can drastically change the tone or even the overall message being communicated by the author.

Works Cited

Ress, Stella. “Finding the Flapper: A Historiographical Look at Image and Attitude.” History Compass, vol. 8, no. 1, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2010, pp. 118–28, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1478-0542.2009.00653.x.

Spivack, Emily. “The History of the Flapper, Part 1: A Call for Freedom.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 5 Feb. 2013, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-of-the-flapper-part-1-a-call-for-freedom-11957978/. 

Maslin, Janet. “Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity and the Women Who Made America Modern.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 27 Mar. 2006, https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/27/arts/flapper-a-madcap-story-of-sex-style-celebrity-and-the-women-who-made.html?searchResultPosition=1. 

Muniz, Hannah. “What Is a Flapper? The Glamorous History of Women in the 1920s.” What Is a Flapper? The Glamorous History of Women in the 1920s, https://blog.prepscholar.com/flapper-women-1920s-history.