Post-war prosperity brought an economic boom through the introduction of the GI Bill, which benefited veterans economically. Suburbanization was a huge part of the ideal family in the 1950s, in turn the population witnessing a significant shift from cities to suburbs. Document 7 features the ideal nuclear family: the home cook mother, working father, and kids. The song is written to
In today’s society, there is a wide variety of family configurations which are constantly changing and adapting to things such as cultural diversity, divorce rates, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs. The “typical” family, (commonly seen in American 1950’s television sitcoms) is a rarity in 2015. Problems with communication arise when one makes assumptions about another person’s family dynamic. For example, people with careers in fields like teaching, law, and healthcare have to be especially aware and sensitive to the fact that not all families display the “traditional” European American family model which consists of a household with parents of the opposite sex, their biological children, and a strong value placed on individualism.
“Never before has private life been so preyed upon by public life.” (Berry 156). Before the invention of the television set, families were closer together and all the work was done for the good of the family. We had this innate belief that family was one of the most important aspects of our life. In today’s modern society, our ideals have changed and we search for things outside the family life.
The 1950s in the US saw significant changes politically, socially, culturally, and economically due to the "economic boom". Politically, the 1950s were marked by the beginning of the Cold War, which led to increased government spending on military and defense. The era was also characterized by a wave of conservative sentiment, reflected in the election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the rise of suburbanization. Socially, the 1950s saw a rise in consumerism and a growing middle class, leading to a proliferation of new consumer goods and the development of a more materialistic culture.
‘Ahhh, the good ol’ days.’ When people hear this, they think back to a time when they remember happiness in the 1950’s. However, people tend to only remember the happiness that the media portrayed and not the negative aspects of this time period. Looking at texts, and comparing them to the television shows from this time period shows that the media is an unreliable portrayal of the majority of family living and gender roles from this time period. The families in the televisions shows are conformists; a happy suburban home, a father who works, a mother who stays at home, and the three children who rely on their parents.
From the three main sociological perspectives I think the functionalist views on family fits the American family and how it’s changed in the last fifty years. The family creates well-integrated members of society by instilling the social culture into children (“The Functionalist Perspective.” Boundless Sociology, 21 Jul. 2015). Functionalist understand that times have changed over the last fifty years and you have to be willing to change with society. American families can’t be stuck where families were fifty years ago.
Born into a working class family in 1920, I have seen many struggles. Family and God has always been important to me and how I was raised. Raised to work hard, love your family, and worship with the Lord to be thankful for what we have. The political, economic and social changes in this country from 1920 till 1950 affected our day to day living. The politics from 1920 to 1950 changed dramatically from governing the family with prohibition to assisting poor families, to security polices for protection.
The 1950’s in the United States was a very conflicting time in the country’s history. On one hand there was much economic prosperity, but on the other there was still massive amounts of segregation, discrimination, and the urge to conform to the idealistic “all American family”. The term that historians use when describing the 1950’s is an age of “consensus and conformity”. This means that due to the innovations of the time such as television, the consumer was told what they should buy, and how they should live their life. This restricted society by putting standards at which society should meet, and if they did not meet those standards they were considered odd, or out of place.
While family structure has changed dramatically since the 1950’s, what current changes are we seeing; and how is it affecting the roles to which we play in a compromising world. In the 1950’s families consisted of a head of household (the Father), the house wife (or mother); and their offspring (the children). The father’s duty was to bring home the bacon, while making end meets for his family, while the wife stayed home and cared for the children, the elderly; and took on the household duties. These families usually lived in the suburbs, where they raised their children; while teaching them the proper ways of life. During this time in history, young women were expected to find a mate through persuasion, then get hitched; and eventually produce an offspring.
At the start of the 1960’s, the stereotypical American family was portrayed as white, middle class, and patriarchal. “Today, ‘family’ includes a vast array of configurations, such as households formed of two or more ‘blended’ families of divorce, unmarried couples, childless households, and even gay parents,” (Oswald 310). Various social institutions, the broadening of culture, and marketing strategies diversified what was known as the American family. Marketers focused on certain groups within the family, such as kids, teens, and adults, creating consumer segmentation. Individualism furthered in the late 60’s when institutions such as wealthy businesses, the government, marriage, and universities were being questioned; fixed social roles were
During the Great depression, America’s economy crumbled causing money to be worthless, many to go years without jobs and unable to support their families, and many to become homeless and have to live in hard conditions because of the lack of resources and money, as well known, it was one of the hardest times in American history. As America healed from The Great Depression, and with the economy starting to stabilize again, the US started facing its new challenge of shaping social values and conflicts throughout the society. When looking back at the 1950’s, the first image that comes to mind is the “American dream” and “ideal family life” which was constantly pounded into people’s minds through advertisement and media. Throughout the articles,
Trough history one has learned that the 1950s era in America was the best time to have families and attain social mobility. As a result, one became to appreciate conventional values and applied extreme traditions in one’s household. However, America downplayed many scandalous events by choosing to ignore the matter or approach it as hearsay. At the same time, a new medium of exposing the problems in America of the 1950s was expressed through literature. The novel Peyton Place by Grace Metalious was dubbed as the novel that shocked the Nation.
Although written in 1938, Our Town depicts the fundamental ‘50’s “perfect” family, with the “don’t ask, don’t tell,” “always look happy” philosophy. This does apply to today’s perspective to an extent, but society has evolved to naturally vocalise issues more than they did nearly a century ago. Quite frankly, the only true problem portrayed in the novel, regarding home life, is the underlying hostility the children have due to the pressure and expectations their parents place upon their shoulders. Today’s generation faces this struggle, but this concept became less hearty as new implementations and freedoms developed over time. Now, in general cases, parents support their children in their goals, and accept them as they are.
Jay’s son Mitchell (a conservative attorney) is married to Cameron “Cam” (a flamboyant and colorful “bumpkin” from Missouri) and they have an adopted Vietnamese child named Lily. This paper will attempt to demonstrate how the writers and producers of Modern Family, through telling relatable stories, encourage acceptance of an emerging family structure, and address a number of social values and issues. Through blending the trials and tribulations of heterosexual, interracial, and gay families, and adding issues faced by baby boomers and adolescents, the writers portray socially conflicting issues as normal family behavior. Using textual and narrative analysis, this paper will deconstruct the overall plot and analyze the roles of the characters, to reveal the underlying message of this comedy sitcom and the reasons for its commercial success but relative failure as a mechanism to promote cultural
On September 23, 2009, the well-known television show Modern Family broadcasted for the first time on millions of televisions across the United States. The five-time Emmy award winning and hilarious mockumentary, or mock documentary, styled show gives an honest perspective of family life through its multifaceted characters, witty script writing, and relatable episode premises. As Modern Family enters its seventh season, the series continues to leave a tremendous effect on its viewers due to the show’s progressive themes and powerful messages. The biggest impact that Modern Family has had on its viewers is the acceptance of homosexuality. The show’s depiction of two of the main characters, Cam and Mitchell, as a regular couple rather than
