Trollope observed that American women “move[d] constantly and usefully in a path laid out for them” (100). Men dictated the lives of their daughters, telling them who to marry, and the lives of their wives, putting them to work at home; women were rarely allowed to make their own decisions. Men also excluded women from some leisure activities. While attending a party in America, Trollope observed a peculiar situation: “The gentlemen had splendid entertainment prepared for them in another large room of the hotel, while the poor ladies had a plate each placed in their hands, as they thoughtfully strolled along the dance. -room during their absence. . . This arrangement was. . . simply because the gentlemen liked it better” (117). Men preferred to separate from women during moments of leisure, and as a result, women did not receive equivalent entertainment and rest. Women also had limited access to materials to improve themselves and their situations. An acquaintance of Trollope's explained, "'I declare that I absolutely do not wish my wife to read everything she could find [in the Bible]'" (89). In the United States, men were afraid to allow their wives to read the Bible, which contains passages promoting gender equality. Women wouldn't fight the discrimination they face if they believed it was normal. Based on Fanny Trollope's account of her trip to America, one can clearly see that women occupied a secondary position in society. American men considered women 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, women in America lived in a subordinate manner