The Plastic Flamingo A Natural History Analysis

In the essay, “The Plastic Flamingo: A Natural History” by Jennifer Price, she examines the massive popularity of the pink plastic flamingo that happened in the 1950’s. The purpose in writing this essay is to show that she believes that America is materialistic/self-centered and sometimes contradictory. She does this by using tone, allusions, and historical evidence throughout her essay. She begins by stating “the pink flamingo…staked two major claims to boldness. First, it was a flamingo” (1-3). This demonstrates how when plastic flamingo first entered the market in the 50’s, it was already popular. The word “boldness” makes the flamingo seem pristine and classy. A few lines later, Price says that in 1930’s, “vacationing Americans had been flocking to Florida and returning home with flamingo souvenirs” (3-5) and in the 1910’s/1920’s, “Miami Beach’s first grand hotel, the Flamingo had

In the lines 36-39 the pink hue of the flamingo was, “forward-looking rather than old-fashioned, just right for a generation, raised in the Depression, that was ready to celebrate its new affluence.” The allusion to the Great Depression, a time when America was struggling financially, crime was on the rise, adds another reason why the pink flamingo made an impact in the 50’s. The callout of the bright pink hue being “forward-looking” alludes to when everything in America was dark (the Great Depression). She continues by stating how “in the 1956…Elvis prelude bought a pink Cadillac” (43-45). The allusion to Elvis, a very popular singer during the late 50’s, buying a pink Cadillac boosts the idea of pink being a very prominent color. The car, also being a Cadillac, a luxury car even today (to an extent) , makes Americans seem to only want the best of the best with the trendiest colors. Price, through her use of dates and allusions, demonstrates how America has used flamingos color to make themselves