Source A compares several aspects of women and men in various ways. The source can be said to have two parts to it, a foreground and a background.
One aspect in the foreground of Source A is a woman is stood to the left and a male soldier is stood to the right. The woman on the left is a munitionette worker dressed in masculine clothing, such as trousers and boots, this type of clothing that the woman is wearing could be described as militaristic. The woman in this source represents all the women at home that are supporting the British troops, whereas the male soldier represents all the males of British society fighting in the war. Both figures are both with one foot each on a plinth, and they both have an equal standing. A plinth is a pedestal in the form of a square block, used for support. This action signifies that both men and women are of an equal status in society.
Another feature of this source in the foreground is the fact that both figures are holding a union flag. This shows us the loyalty and patriotism that is trying to be projected in this magazine. The male is doing his part by fighting in the war, and the female is doing her part by working in the factories for support of the male troops. This also signifies that both males and females are both doing their part in supporting the war. It is interesting to note that both jobs portrayed in supporting the war are both primarily considered exclusively masculine jobs before 1914; however in 1917 – at the time at which this magazine is published, women were equally doing both jobs alongside males.
An additional characteristic in the foreground of this source is that the woman and the man revealed are both of an equal height. This feature suggests that both males and females are contributing equally to the war.
An aspect in the background of the source is factories. Juxtapositioned next to the caption “The War-Worker”, and the two representative characters, again this reinforces the fact that both males and females in British society is contributing to the war. It also shows us that the work done in the factories is as important as the work done on the front line.
Source A also has a list of contents showing what will be covered in the magazine. It is interesting to make a note of the fact that all the content in the magazine has many pages covering the role of women in the war. Also, the first page of this magazine starts with “A message from the Archbishop of Canterbury”, who was in support of women’s suffrage and other women rights. Due to the general opinion at the time in Britain of women undertaking male roles in society was negative; this suggests that this magazine is some form of propaganda of women’s rights in society.
I think that the purpose of this magazine at this time in the war is to be used in the form of propaganda of an organisation such as the Women’s Social and Political Union, which was founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903. I believe that the message behind this picture is that women are being treated with an equal status to men during the war period, and that women and men are able to work alongside each other for a common cause. This would also therefore mean that men do not have a higher priority in life, and that women are equal to men, something which opposed the general male opinion at the time.
Since there is an element of propaganda in the source, there is a factor of bias in the source. However, I think that this makes the source more useful because it gives us an insight to the situation of the First World War from a woman’s point of view.
Source A refers to an actual situation at the time of the end stages of the First World War in Britain at the time, as opposed to a single event at the time. The source may be exaggerated in because it is biased, as discussed. One example of biasness in the source is where the woman is holding the union flag with two hands, and the male soldier is holding the union flag with one hand, and a gun with another. Whilst the flag represents loyalty, and partnership, the source may suggest that women are more loyal than men. What is striking about this is that instead of stating that women should be of an equal status to men, it depicts that women may be even better than men. This way the source suggests that the men are only half-hearted in the war to defend the nation, but the other side of men want to go to war for the feeling of euphoria, and the rush of adrenaline, while women on the other hand are fully focused on defending Britain.
Despite use usefulness of Source A, it also has its own limitations. Because this source’s purpose is generally for propaganda, it may not reflect the entire truth of the situation, such as the arguments shown the magazine’s front cover. I think that the reader is meant to think by looking at the front cover of the magazine that women should keep up the war effort, and that men and women are enjoying the equal status given to them.
In conclusion, I think that Source A is very useful as evidence about the importance of women in the First World War because it shows that you cannot have an efficient functioning society without the roles of women participating equally. I think that women are important in society because without them, things would all be single minded and performed less economically and efficiently.