Conformity In Pleasantville

Pleasantville: The Not So Perfect Community “Location, location, location.” When it comes to finding a place to live, location becomes a key factor in what can be a difficult decision making process. Oftentimes, people will choose to live in one neighborhood over another for a variety of reasons, including quality of life, access to transportation, infrastructure, diversity, and quality of schools. However, regardless of where someone decides to put down their roots, there is always going to be something about the area that the person would like to see changed. In the film Pleasantville (1998)—directed, written, and produced by Gary Ross, we are taught that there is no such thing as the perfect neighborhood, and that evil is something

People were afraid to become “colored,” because they were thought to be different, which is why those who were black-and-white did everything they could to stay away from anyone who was “colored.” Unfortunately, this mentality has not only taken place in Pleasantville, but also in many other cultures such as in the United States and South Africa (Kelly 71). However, the real reason for people becoming “colored” in Pleasantville was when they did something they did not think they were capable of. Prior to the changes that occurred in Pleasantville, conformity had a significant impact on keeping the community as orderly as it was. However, with the changes that occurred in Pleasantville, people began to realize that conformity can allow for evil since it limits people to what they can and cannot do (Vardy & Arliss 189). For instance, prior to the changes in Pleasantville, fathers were expected to go to work all day, and mothers were expected to stay at home and clean, care for the children, and have dinner ready before their husband was home. In addition, when Bud and Mary Sue’s mother, Betty became “colored,” she had Bud use maquillage to make her black-and-white so she would still assimilate with the community. This shows how even though Betty was able to stand up for a change in Pleasantville, she accepted the evils of Pleasantville that prevented people from

According to Joseph F. Kelly, the Apostle Paul teaches us that faith, hope, and love can help us respond to evil (61). For instance, when David and Mr. Johnson got the judge so angry that he became “colored,” they were able to show the community that regardless of what we look like, we are all a part of the same community. This allowed everyone to develop a sense of trust and affection towards one another, which gave them the faith necessary to overcome evil (Kelly 61). Additionally, once more and more people started to become “colored,” people started to feel confident that this change would be beneficial for the community. With the power of hope, even those who were most resistant to the changes taking place realized that these changes could have a positive effect on the community in a new and different way (Kelly 63-64). Finally, love might have been one of the most essential components that transformed life in Pleasantville. The changes in Pleasantville allowed people to express their love for others in ways that none of them ever thought possible. Instead of questioning others in their community, the people of Pleasantville realized how love taught the importance of seeking the very best for everyone around them, no matter how different they may seem. According to