Mona Lisa Smile Questions

1. Discuss the role(s) of women in the 1950s as portrayed in the movie. How are they different from the view of Katherine Watson?

In the 1950's women were primarily expected to be servants and caretakers of the home. It was almost necessary for all women to learn proper housekeeping skills and to know how to do things such as, cooking, cleaning, and caring for children. If a woman did not know how to do these things then she would be viewed negatively. These roles are much different than the ideas that Katherine Watson had in the movie "Mona Lisa Smile". Katherine believed that young women should seek to achieve more for themselves and be more intelligent rather than just being normal housewives or servants. Her views were very contradicting to what was expected by society.

1. Katherine Watson was said to be "subversive". What is your understanding of this term?

I think to be subversive means to cause change or alternate certain ideas within an established system. For example, in the movie "Mona Lisa Smile," Katherine Watson's teaching methods and ideas completely contradicted the ideas already held by Wellesley Leaders. However, she continued to impose her unorthodox methods of teaching her art history class.