Using Her Words: Marriage in Twentieth Century Advice Columns

Abstract

This thesis examines the evolution of popular perceptions of marriage in the United States during the mid twentieth century through advice columns. It argues that the point at which a marriage was considered salvageable drastically shifted between the 1940s and 1950s, which directly correlated with the social markers of success within a relationship. In the 1940s, a marriage was considered successful if the couple was happy and a divorce, though not ideal, could be an option for an unhappy couple. In the 1950s, a marriage was considered a success if the couple remained married for their entire lives, even if they would prefer to be separated. This thesis focuses on “If I Were In Your Shoes,” written by self-proclaimed psychic Gene Dennis for The Seattle Star from 1940 to 1944, and the first four years of “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” which ran in The Ladies’ Home Journal using accounts of the counseling sessions conducted by the American Institute of Family Relations.