Societal Change

The Chaperone begins in the 1920’s, a time of rapid change in American society. Many of these changes had to do with women’s liberation, sparked by the suffrage movement of the early 1900’s that resulted in women gaining the right to vote in 1920. Inspired by this movement, women’s fashion took on new, more risque tones including bobbed haircuts and shorter hemlines. Conversations about birth control were lead by women like Margaret Sanger. As a result, women adopted more open-minded ideas about their sexuality.

The tensions these changes created are immediately evident in The Chaperone. Protagonist Cora is in her mid-30’s when the novel begins. Though she was an active member of the push for suffrage, she is unsure about many of the changes the 1920’s have wrought. In some ways, Cora might even be considered conservative by the standards of the times...