| This dissertation examines conduct instruction and identity construction found in popular commercial cookbooks of the twentieth century, including The Joy of Cooking, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Entertaining by Martha Stewart, whose publications coincide with times of social changes. Specifically, drawing on nineteenth century literary traditions of conduct books, these cookbooks play a crucial role in addressing anxiety about the ideas and expectations of women's roles and the domestic sphere during the twentieth century. I argue, The Joy of Cooking, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Entertaining provide a touchstone for women that allows them to construct and reconstruct their identities, roles, and expectations within and outside the domestic sphere. |
