The “We Can Do It!” poster also known as Rosie the Riveter was produced during World War 2 to encourage women to get out and work while the men went off to fight for our country. During this time our country was facing wartime labor shortages, so in order to get women out into the labor force they created Rosie the Riveter. A strong independent woman who could do all the work a man could without any help. The “We Can Do It!” poster magnified and enhanced the roles of women in the work force and made it clear that a woman would not be letting go of her feminine qualities. Women were shown as confident in the poster and called to do their part in the war. The posters original meaning was supposed to glorify patriotism and hard work regardless of if you are a man or woman, but by some was taken in a different way. Today, the poster serves as an important icon in the ongoing problem of feminism and inequality. The artist used shading and contrast of coloring on the poster to portray women in a positive light and show that they are just as strong and capable of doing everything a man can.

This poster is a representation of the strong patriotic woman during World War 2. The “We Can Do It!” poster was created by the Westinghouse to be used for an ad agency. The poster was created in 1942. This poster was part of a large project of about 50 posters that were intended for not only woman but to grasp the population’s attention as a whole. “We Can Do It!” was intended to show that in order to get through the war everyone’s support was necessary regardless of your gender and regardless of your stand in the social class. When the poster was created we were in the midst of beginning World War 2, leaving an astonishing amount of men overseas fighting for us. With the majority of males being absent there were very many jobs left to be done in order for our country to progress smoothly. Rosie the Riveter was created to try and get women with no jobs besides those within their home out of the house to help. Not only did it take a lot to get the women to even come out and want to help, but the poster was also to show men that women were very much so strong and capable of taking on this task. A new idea and image of women was created due to Rosie; showing the world that women were stronger than they were given credit for and that they were capable of men’s jobs and were an essential part in the war. The poster showed us that in order for our country to stand together as one in a time of need, then women are needed and are more than capable of doing this work, we just had to put the stereotype of women from this time period behind us. All due to the creation of the “We Can Do It!” poster, women who had never been involved in any work besides inside of their homes were put to work and were able to feel like they were a part of something larger than themselves. 

“We Can Do It!” uses shading, color, bold letters, and masculinity of Rosie, to make the image stand out and to catch the viewers eye. The shading and contrast of the lines makes the woman to appear to be more masculine and strong, which was meant to empower women to want to work during a time when a man’s work was unavailable. The artist uses shading on Rosie’s arms and then draws her flexing one to symbolize the strength she holds as a woman and all that she is capable of. The shading on Rosie’s face gives her a stern look, showing she is ready to get down to business and do what she needs to do. However, while the artist uses shading to show masculinity they do not leave out her feminism. It is  very apparent that Rosie is wearing makeup and has her hair tied back to show that she is a female, but that she can be a female and still be strong at the same time. During this time period woman were thought of as housewives and that they were incapable of doing anything worthwhile. The poster is mainly red, white, and blue to symbolize the support for America as they enter the war and that we need women to help in order to save our country from falling apart in this time of need. The background of the poster is yellow to make Rosie really stand out and to catch the viewers eye and make them want to know what it is the poster is really trying to say. The bold letters that read, “We Can Do It!” are there not only to catch viewers eyes, but to show the boldness of women too. Instead of mocking a strong female figure the image glamorizes the idea that a woman is capable of factory work. Due to how women were seen in this time, this poster was to show that that should not be how women are seen or treated and that they are capable of much more than they are given credit for. 

The elements of color, shading, and boldness used in “We Can Do It!” inspired women woman to want to work and to take on male roles. This specific poster grabbed the attention of woman because it was something that they were not used to. It was different than the norm. They were used to being known as the housewives and not having jobs. Before this they never really thought to stand up and say that they wanted that because it was all that they knew. They thought they had to be those women who stayed at home and cooked and cleaned and took care of the kids preparing for their husband to come home from a long day of work. This poster was a huge turning point in these women’s lives and changed who they were forever. It gave them a chance to show that they are way more than useless and besides that their help was actually needed. This poster has made just as big as an impact on women today as it did in the 1940’s. Today women see the poster with a more feminism approach and for women to stand up for their rights. No matter which way you look at it this poster has made a huge impact on women for many years and will continue to do so for many years to come. 

“We Can Do it!” is a representation of a strong patriotic woman during World War 2 trying to show our country that women are strong and capable of taking on a man’s work while he is not capable of doing so. This poster used shading, color,  and bold words to give woman masculine qualities and that they are capable of hard work while still showing that they are women. This poster has left an outstanding impact on women, showing them that they are more than the stereotype. Women are not weak and dumb. Women are strong and beautiful and capable of taking on anything that they put their mind to. This poster finally gave women the credit they had deserved for so many years and this poster will always be remembered and looked back on by women for many years to come.
