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Cultural influences on 1950s
American culture in the 1950s
American culture in the 1950s
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Cultural influences on 1950s
American culture in the 1950s
American culture in the 1950s
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Cultural influences on 1950s
Sarah Mcphillips Brown Advanced Literature 2.3.17 It was a hard time for people in the 1950’s. People were either having fun or worrying about the loved ones in war. Lives and societies were changed for the best or for the worst. Not one person knew how the end of the wars would turn ot.
The industrialization of America had a monumental impact on the citizens. With change comes the upsides and the downsides, so there were critiques such as Henry George and Edward Bellamy. Also this was a time of change for woman, questions regarding ‘place’, purpose, and morality were too brought to light.
Some of the things that are paralleled in the book and 1950’s society are the idea of a perfect society and a perfect family and a perfect world where everyone was always happy the entire time. We see from the book that everyone seemed to be happy because they were too busy being distracted go to work so that they can have the money that they need to buy all of the distractions that they spend the rest of their waking hours using and worshiping. Though there was less of this type of behavior in 1950’s society because they were not many distractions this idea that Bradbury illustrated in his book that is set in the future that is our today he almost perfectly predicted the future and what we have become and how we are beginning to act and think and feel. After reading this book it is shocking how similar the people of the 1950’s are to the people of the book the women in the story are still expected to cook and to do all of the housework and everyone is expected to be a perfect family/society. This is best displayed with Mildred during the day she looks like the perfect woman but the night that she turned in Montag and was running away from the house she was described has a “her body stiff, her face floured with powder and her mouth gone without the
In Stephanie Coontz article title "What We Really Miss About The 1950s" Sourced by the book "Rereading America" she seeks to provide insight and critical analysis into why the 1950s are so highly esteemed today and why they are so missed. Coontz sees herself as being well equipped as well as suitably verse in the elements that configure the 1900s. She even goes as far as to use a personal experience from her life during that time to give the reader a deeper understanding into the societal norms that made up the 1950s. It is quickly made evident that Coontz takes her work serious and personal. In Coontz's analysis she used a multitude of factors surrounding the struggles as well as the triumphs experienced in the 50s and in doing so she gives a wide range
In the thrilling and suspenseful novel The Cellar by Natasha Preston, the main character Summer was followed in the streets of England at night by a stranger that later chloroformed her and took her to a basement in the middle of the English countryside. She latter was awoken by three strangers all smiling as if they were best friends. The strangers were dressed like dolls, each matching with long sweaters and matching pants, the only difference was the delicately embroidered flower on the sweaters. The three girls all looked as if they were zombies all hypnotized by something, but showing only one emotion fear. And that is when Summer realizes she has been kidnapped.
The contextual backdrop of the 1960s shapes the narrative, reflecting the disintegration of traditional values and societal coherence. By anchoring the essay in this era, Didion establishes a relatable connection with readers who experienced similar cultural and social changes. Her status as a renowned writer and observer of California further bolsters her credibility, lending weight to her arguments. Through the seamless blending of personal reflection and cultural criticism, Didion offers a unique and intimate perspective. For instance, the opening sentence, "Several days passed before I could admit to myself that I had flown to San Francisco because I wanted to watch a man die" (Didion 232), captivates readers, setting the tone and demonstrating her adeptness at engaging the audience and piquing their
Various points made by this author in the change of times can be persuasive to the readers. In paragraph 6, the author talks about the period before the 1960s; this brings our senses
Complications in America Represented Through Literature: An Analysis of Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five: The Untold Story of One of New York City’s Most Infamous Crimes The 1900’s was another formative period for the United States of America as problems dealing with marginalization surged. John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, published in 1937, tackles many themes that are still relevant today. Similarly, Sarah Burns’ Central Park Five mentions various issues, especially ones relating to America’s justice system. Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five have similar approaches to depicting “The American Dream,” and power dynamics, but tackle the themes of otherness differently.
The story takes place at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in America, when desegregation is finally achieved. Flannery O’Connor’s use of setting augments the mood and deepens the context of the story. However, O’Connor’s method is subtle, often relying on connotation and implication to drive her point across. The story achieves its depressing mood mostly through the use of light and darkness in the setting.
The Roaring Twenties, a time of economic prosperity and modernity swept many Americans into an affluent but unfamiliar “consumer society.” But with every high, comes a low and at the turn of the decade came the stock market crash ending the luxurious era as we know it. Thus, began the completely contrasted age known as the Dirty Thirties. These twenty years brought forward new inventions such as radars, jazz music, movies with sound all while the Modernism movement continued to transpire and thrive. Great works such as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, were famous modernist novels written thirteen years apart which showed the dreams and aspirations of different individuals in the
Nearly 30 years later, the characteristics of the 1920s are present in repeating economic, political, and even social circumstances in the 1950s. Many portions of American history were transformed throughout these two memorable time periods, as the saying "history repeats itself" states. Looking back on the flourishing 1920s, many were relieved that the war was over and that life could return to normal. What happened in the 1950s was no different. The postwar prosperity and civil rights movement are the most widely recognized periods of these times.
This book presents an accurate portrayal of life during the Great Depression in which many topics are introduced such as mental and physical disabilities, the American Dream, and race. Learning about these topics through a narrative can give students an understanding of the social and economic implications during that time. As said by Allison L. Baer, an associate professor at the University of Findlay, "[b]y reading...trade books[books intended for general readership], students collaboratively gain understanding as they delve into issues and topics more broadly and deeply"(284). Reading a piece of literature that incorporates important parts of history can create more of an impact of the reader due to the storytelling nature; students may be more inclined to understand the historical context of the book when they are more connected to the characters. Although the main focus of Of Mice and Men is not on the Great Depression, the setting of the book is during that time period, so glimpses into the life of the characters, who represent men looking for work and striving for the American Dream, are shown.
Part 3: How does this author and his or her novel impact the culture of America? American culture began to change during the 1920’s due to certain conditions and the uprising of new ideas. It was a time of great social change, new ideas, techniques and ways of life were modified to adjust to the depression of World War I. Numerous war veterans had experienced certain happenings in which had left them traumatized, hardened or even weakened with no one to relate to.
Following the Second World War, tension began to rise between the democratic America and the communistic, war-torn Soviet Union. As America and the USSR entered the Cold War, fear of communism and its encroachment spread like fire through the rebuilding American public. The panic instilled by such fear leads not only to a hunt for all person and qualities associated with Communism, but also a period of disillusionment and spiritual desertion. Scared of standing out and being assumed as a communist, the people of the mid-1900s forced themselves to conform to the social and political standards of the day. The Levett towns built all across the suburbs, the moms that never worked but stayed at home to take care of the children, and the men—dressed
Similarly explainable, are the adverse effects inspired by America’s push for conformity and consumerism following 1945. Regarding these years, historical statistics suggest a triumphant American atmosphere due to a victorious war outcome and economic affluence, but these positives quickly turned to negatives for certain societal sectors. Most notably, the unit that would grow to be labeled as the Beatniks. Within this crew, alongside Burroughs, was fellow writer Jack Kerouac. Kerouac’s most publicized text, On the Road, has been saluted as the quintessential novel of the 1950s and is beneficial in the fact that it conveys something that the aforementioned historical statistics cannot, emotion.