"I put it off till I can't stand it anymore. The rottenest job in the whole house is cleaning the bathroom."

Is cleaning the bathroom still viewed as the least desirable of all household chores? Is this tast still relegated primarily to the woman of the home?

How does the angle captured by Owens serve to emphasize the drudgery of the chore? What about the woman's expression and body language?

What clues does the image communicate that place the setting squarely in the 1970's suburbia? Yet, what about the image makes it timeless?

How is the caption a commentary on the universal human vice of procrastination? Do you put off the worst chores until last, or do you employ the dscipline of delayed gratification; i.e., getting the worst tast over with first?

"I have all the cares of home ownership and the privacy of apartment living. We have an investment in the house. So I find myself doing all the undesirable chores to protect our investment."

What does this image say about male vs. female roles in the suburban home of the 1970's? Do these gender distinctions still apply to the division of labor with respect to domestic chores?

Why do you think the man of the house places a particular emphasis on his home as an "investment"? Do you think his wife views her home the same way? What about the children?

Discuss the fact that with every blessing comes a corollary responsibility. What are the "cares of home ownership" as compared with urban apartment living?

Although we may enjoy our homes, why do we often view its upkeep as tedious and "undesirable"?

"The California garage today, our of necessity, requires that you move the cars out and the tools in. To a point I enjoy working in the garage, but I'd rather be doing something else."

How does this garage reflect the tendency toward materialism in suburban culture?

As a suburbanite, this man could probably afford to buy deck chairs rather than make them. So why has he chosen to spend his leisure time involved in this pursuit?

This man, seemingly living the good life in suburbia, ironically indicated that he'd rather be doing something else. What does this say about unfulfilled expectations? Are life's dreams ever as wonderful wonce they are fulfilled?

"I don't feel that Richie playing with guns will have a negative effect on his personality. (He already wants to be a policeman). His childhood gun-playing won't make him into a cop-shooter. By playing with guns he learns to socialize with other children. I find the neighbors who are offended by Richie's gun, either the father hunts or their kids are the first to take Richie's gun and go off and play with it."

How does the historical context of the Vietmam war color your perspective as you examine this photograph?

What issues does the caption raise with respect to proper child rearing? Are these issues still relevent today?

As children, to what extent is our view of the world shaped through the toys we play with?