History Of I Love Lucy

The birth of television broadcasted around the world in the early 1950’s, when the soldiers from World War Ⅱ where returning. It made its broadway appearances in bars, theaters, and other entertainment studios. With its appearances in public places, it influenced many families to purchase televisions of their own. At the moment, not all families could afford television sets, only families of the higher class and some middle class could afford tvs. In the early 1940’s television sales began to take off. Two-thirds of the television sales were located in New York, big cities or metropolitan based areas had the highest rating television set ownerships. As the popularity arose, so did the television channels. Popular channels included NBC, ABC,

I Love Lucy is an American sitcom that aired October 15, 1951. It starred the famous Lucille Ball who played the main character Lucy Ricardo. It also starred Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. Lucy was married to Ricky Ricardo who was a very successful foreign bandleader in New York. An interesting thing is that they are not only married in the show but in real life, they also both produced the show. Lucy’s best friend is Ethel Mertz who is also her landlord and is married to Fred Mertz. During the show, it was clear that Ricky is the income of the house. Since he is the man, he took the role that he had to by works and protecting his family. On the other hand, Lucy has to stay home with the children, clean, and cook. She tries to attain the role of a wife, while he attained the role of a husband. But continuously Lucy attempts to break into show business or get involved with scheming and trickery. Other characters include her best friend Ethel, who is forcibly her partner in crime. Ethel and Fred 's relationship is not like Lucy and Ricky 's. Fred is more distant and puts Ethel in her place. While Ricky is more lenient. But when both females come to together, they both try to break free from the control, while he husbands struggle to really take control because that is what is expected during that time period. The men are treated as breadwinners, while the woman are treated as

Television in the 1950’s created some of the best shows ever. Superman, a show based on a man who saves people 's lives without anyone knowing his true identity. And I Love Lucy, a wacky house wife who is trying to break through gender roles with her best friend. Even though their husbands are totally against them not following their roles. Also, in Leave It To Beaver, it focuses on a young boy who emphasizes that their are no perfect roles for genders. All shows relate to the theme, Conformity. In the 1950’s, it is expected that a female knows her role and a male knows his. It was always expected to follow the norms and not strike out on your own. Even though some women worked it was because of the war but now that all soldiers have returned, the women are expected to return to housewife duty. But it is clear that there is no perfect role. There is no possible way to grow or feel free with conformity because everyone is following orders. In all three shows, the dominate race was white. Besides in I Love Lucy, where her husband was of Cuban descent. Other races, were not casted because it was not realistic for the show. The producers at the time wanted the shows to seem relatable and as if they were reality. So including another race living a happy life in America in the 1950’s was very unrealistic. But with the little technology that they had, television in the 1950’s still was able to influence us then and still now, we are still able to depict the difference between