Simone de Beauvoir warned almost fifty years ago that the positive images of women that place them securely on pedestals - images like the Faithful Wife, the Good Daughter, and the Wise Old Woman, honored and mythologized by American culture - are far more insidious and difficult to ignore than negative images like the Dumb Blonde that leave women feeling bad about themselves. Identifying with idealized images almost invariably wins a woman love and approval, and offers. Her the seductive promise of a formula for leading a happy, productive life. But, as psychologist Maxine Harris explains in Down from the Pedestal, women who hide behind the safety and predictability of idealized roles find their individuality obscured by the images that dictate what they should want and how they should live their lives, define their relationships, and raise their children. Through the hundreds of interviews that form the basis of this provocative and. Insightful book, Harris came to know women like Liza, the married mother of two, whose long-time struggle with anorexia reflected her desire to remain physically the Eternal Girl and her inability to complete the transition between young womanhood and midlife; and Ruby, the quintessential Selfless Mother, who measured her worth as a person and her success as a mother by total devotion to her children's welfare and denial of her own needs. In this extraordinarily clear. And accessible new interpretation of adult female development, Harris offers women like Liza and Ruby a way to descend from the pedestal of idealized images and enjoy the freedom of seeking a personal and authentic existence. By thinking about their worlds in terms of broad themes rather than alluring but suffocating images, women can better explore and understand the meaning of their experiences. Using compelling examples and detailed case histories, Harris shows how. Life themes can be a positive and empowering way for women to fulfill the potential of their lives. Offering concrete advice and inspiration for every woman who wishes to voice the unique values and meaning of her womanhood, Down from the Pedestal is an uplifting guide that forms the basis of a fresh and optimistic feminist psychology.