Middle-class Americans often dream of attaining "the white picket fence." That is, they see marriage as an opportunity for idealized domesticity within the "haven" of their own single-family home. Which marriage does this describe?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The white picket fence symbolizes the idealized domesticity and the traditional gender roles of the companionate marriage bond, where the husband works outside the home while the wife takes care of the household and children within the "haven" of their own single-family home. The institutional marriage bond is a more economically and socially determined form of marriage, while the individualized marriage bond emphasizes personal satisfaction and the cohabitation bond does not necessarily require marriage or a traditional domestic arrangement.

Middle-Class Americans Often Dream of Attaining "The White Picket Fence