Trollope observed that American women "moved steadily and usefully along a path laid out for them" (100). Men dictated the lives of their daughters, by telling them who to marry, and the lives of their wives, by making them work at home; women could rarely make their own decisions. Men also excluded women from certain leisure activities. While attending a party in America, Trollope observed a peculiar setup: "The gentlemen were having a splendid entertainment provided in another large room of the hotel, while the poor ladies each had a plate in their hands, while that they were walking thoughtfully during the ball. -room during their absence. . . This arrangement was. . . simply because the gentlemen preferred that” (117). Men preferred to separate from women during leisure periods and, as a result, women did not receive equivalent entertainment and rest. Women also had limited access to materials to improve themselves and their situation. An acquaintance of Trollope's explained: "'I profess that I by no means wish my wife to read anything she might find [in the Bible]'" (89). In the United States, men were afraid to allow their wives to read the Bible, which contains passages promoting equality between the sexes. Women would not fight against the discrimination they face if they believed it was normal. From Fanny Trollope's account of her trip to America, it is clearly seen that women occupy a secondary position in society. American men viewed women as intellectually inferior. Women also faced undesirable working conditions and ceded control of their lives to their male counterparts. Therefore, despite the American legend of equality for all, American women lived subordinate to