In the novel Snow White by Donald Barthelme, the protagonist Snow White contradicts the traits of a stereotypical 1960s housewife. These traits, given to her by the author, differ from a typical 1960s housewife in appearance, behavior and priorities. The purpose of Barthelme's presentation of Snow White in this way is to expose the limitations of society's gender roles rampant in the 1960s. In Barthelme's novel Snow White, the protagonist, Snow White, is a 22-year-old woman who lives with seven men. These men do not perceive her as an emotional person, but rather as a sexual object to be used whenever they want and a housewife who takes care of their every need. Snow White has unsatisfying sex in the shower with these seven men and also takes care of their other physical needs. He should also clean the house from top to bottom. “Snow White was cleaning. Book lice don't bite people, he told himself. He sprayed the books with a 5% DDT solution. Then he dusted them with the vacuum cleaner brush. He did not bind the books together, because this would damage the bindings. Then he mended some torn pages using strips cut from rice paper” (Barthelme 43). Snow White is well educated in women's studies, as well as the basics of becoming a housewife, however, her desire for something better causes her to appear and act like anything but. The first way Snow White differs from the stereotypical 1960s housewife is in her appearance. The look of a 1960s housewife was very important. She was expected to dress in a particular way that “consisted of touched-up makeup and a ribbon in her hair to look fresh” (The Good Wife's Guide,1). Barthelme demonstrates that throughout... middle of paper... ...he was complaining and complaining about his situation instead of exuding a pleasant and pleasant attitude. She was opinionated and stood up for herself instead of being submissive and blindly following her men. Noting these contradictions to the expectations of the 1960s housewife, Barthelme successfully exposed the limitations of gender roles throughout the novel. Snow White is used as a demonstration of gender roles in a postmodernist work. Works Cited Barthelme, Donald. Snow White. New York: Athenaeum, 1967. Print. "The Good Wife's Guide." Good Housekeeping 13 May 1955: n. page Print.Friedan, Betty. The feminine mystique. New York: Norton, 1983. Print.---. It Changed My Life: Writings on the Women's Movement. New York: Random House, 1976. Print.---. The second phase. New York: Summit, 1981. Print.