Moral reform societies

The topic of moral reform societies was introduced to us during lecture. They consisted mainly of middle class women who were interested in benevolence and charity. They also tended to be housebound, heavily religious, and involved in a variety of volunteer functions. Their interests in reading were in the Bible or prescriptive texts such as moral pamphlets, housewife manuals/magazines, collections of sermons, sentimental fictions, conversions, confessions, conversion narratives, short stories, and more. Because of a rapid growth of audience, these groups generated a fabulous publicity network of reasonably witty women. They intended to direct such subjects at women who were immoral, fallen, or in vulnerable positions such as prostitution. This also perpetuated economy because women became consumers of literature and goods. Not only would women begin to have an interest in reading, they would also write. We wouldn’t be here if women weren’t writing. Thus, women getting involved amongst each other and within their communities raised awareness while educating themselves at the same time.

[Wendy Tu]