The early twentieth century in America was a time of great social change. From the turn of the century to the country’s entry into World War I in 1917, the United States saw numerous social and political changes as it continued to develop a strong national identity. Many writers took to their work to critique what was going on in their society, including a call for change about the way women were treated and the expectations placed on them both in and out of the home. One of those writers was Frederic S. Isham, who chose to call attention to the changing domestic sphere and the roles of women in and outside of it. His novel This Way Out makes exactly this kind of social criticism.