Published in 1963, Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique analyzes the unhappiness that was experienced by many middle-class American housewives after WWII. Friedan argued that this unhappiness wasn't a result of personal failure, but as a result of the societal expectations that were placed on women. Women were often taught from a young age to only aspire to marriage and motherhood and were discouraged from pursuing anything else, like education, careers, or life outside of the home. The book became very important in terms of American history, as well as defining what Betty Friedan stood for. Her writings helped encourage women to see their individual challenges as larger problems within society and demand that things change. Although the book did primarily focus on the experiences of white, middle-class housewives, it did advocate for more opportunities and independence to be accessible for women. The Feminine Mystique is still very well known today, as it became one of Friedan's most influential works, sparking second-wave feminism and bringing attention to the inequality faced by women all over the country.