What do you imagine life was like for an unwed woman at the time the book takes place?

What do you imagine life was like for an unwed woman at the time the book takes place?

Life would have been extremely difficult. Women were not breadwinners at that time, especially in the Kentucky hill country. Opportunities for women in backwater farm country were limited. Some were teachers, but beyond that, little existed. Spinsters were looked down on as undesirable and unsuccessful. Few could support themselves. Life would have been miserable without a father to provide for them.

Women were suppose to be married and have a man to look after them. There were very few jobs and very low pay.

From everything we read and hear, life for a woman was completely dependent on the husband. His income, his thoughts, his standing in the community, etc. There was no respect or empathy for single women. Unfortunately, this made it possible for men to take advantage of women and treat them as poorly as possible. It goes on today when a woman doesn't learn to take care of herself first.

In a word: Awful.

Yes life would have been awful. Most women would not be able to support themselves,, forget a baby. I also read "Sold on a Monday", which tells you how bad life was for a woman in the coal mining area, when you have to put your children up for sale. Cussy was already ostracized because of her color, now most people believed it was her baby, conceived during her marriage. The baby would suffer the same life because of its color. It was easier for Cussy because she had so many friends from being their book woman and they will always stand by her. Hopefully most will never learn the truth about the baby's birth and take the baby from her.

An unwed woman would have been considered a burden and expense by most people. Without financial security, how would a woman provide for herself or her children? There was also the thought that "there must be something wrong with her" if she wasn't married. Plus, the women acquired their identity based on who they were married to. How sad!

Awful. It is difficult now but in that time and place it must have been the hardest decision she had to make and live with

Extremely difficult. The social ostracization would have been extreme and much the same as that in The Scarlet Letter, just without the A.

Life for an unwed woman during the time period of this book would have been extremely difficult. There would have been very few jobs available and socially, an unwed woman, would have been scorned and ostracized-sometimes even within her own family. She would have been perceived as a burden to her relatives. Even though I recognize that we need to continue to make changes today, I am extremely grateful to live where and when I do.