At the height of my academic pursuits, this book cart would often cross my path. It stood as a testament to the diversity of life's experiences, a stark contrast to my meticulously organized existence.
While I rarely indulged in purchases from this cart, its disorderly array of titles and the enigmatic bookseller intrigued me. This was a trove of unexpected treasures, where romance novels rubbed shoulders with dusty tomes on any subject possible.
I used the cart as a departure from my own pragmatic tendencies, but I couldn't help but admire the passion that went into curating this unconventional collection. I would often stand by it and grab a book, just to read a little, and to learn more about the intricacies of life I had not yet found myself faced with. I would especially look for books regarding topics that would help me gain knowledge on how to become successful financially, although I would get stares from the “sensible” women and men while holding the books. Other than just helping me learn more to move forward in life, I also enjoyed using books and reading as a way to unwind and relax after work. I was particularly enamored with novels with a good detective story in them. I would get sucked into the book, trying to figure out the mystery before it was revealed to me.
Though my life has been charted along the path of reason and financial success, this image brings forth a nostalgia for the spontaneity and wonder that books, in their myriad forms, have to offer. It reminds me that even a woman like me can find room for the unexpected and the unstructured.
- Vivie Warren
Vivie Warren's perspective, as a woman from a vastly different era, with a different point of view from many around her, offers a unique glimpse into the past and a contrasting world of values and ideals. Vivie is an ideal example of the New Woman, "a woman who received an education and sought white collar jobs, further [challenging] the 'natural' place of women in the home" (Petit).
It's fascinating to read about Vivie's “structured” and “pragmatic” approach to life, which she contrasts with the chaos of a small book cart claiming to have every subject. Her entry hints at the societal and cultural shifts taking place during her time, particularly regarding women's roles and aspirations. Women at the time still "embraced the language of motherhood and true domesticity...as a way to emphasize their 'True Womanhood'" (Petit), however, Vivie challenged these norms.
Vivie's mention of herself as a woman interested in financial success piques my interest, as this signifies a break from the traditional gender roles of the late 19th Century and a pursuit of intellectual and personal autonomy. I wonder how Vivie's experiences and viewpoints may have influenced or been influenced by the broader social context of her era.
I'm also curious about the specific historical context of Vivie Warren's world, including the challenges and opportunities faced by women with ideals like hers during that period. Many considered women "as not having the emotional makeup, the judgment, the analytical reasoning, or the long term commitment to the job" (Wooten, Kemmerer). This would have been a considerable roadblock to Vivie's pursuits of financial success.
This entry serves as a valuable starting point for deeper research into the life and times of Vivie Warren and the broader societal changes of her era. It reminds us of the richness of historical records and the diverse voices that contribute to our understanding of the past.
Petit, Jeanne. “Breeders, Workers, and Mothers: Gender and the Congressional Literacy Test Debate, 1896-1897.” The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, vol. 3, no. 1, 2004, pp. 35–58. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25144354. Accessed 17 Oct. 2023.
Wootton, Charles W., and Barbara E. Kemmerer. “THE EMERGENCE OF MECHANICAL ACCOUNTING IN THE U.S., 1880-1930.” The Accounting Historians Journal, vol. 34, no. 1, 2007, pp. 91–124. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40698352. Accessed 17 Oct. 2023.