Looking back, American society in the 1950s is often viewed through a nostalgic lens, seen as an idyllic, simplistic existence in which everyone was happy. However, things are rarely as simple as they appear, especially concerning as something as multi-layered as a country’s society. No matter how it appeared on the surface, American society and culture had been and continues to be a multi-dimensional construct based partly on the outside influences and media of the time. During the Cold War, in order to protect itself against any appearance of abnormality and to create a modicum of security in the new frightening age of atomic warfare, American society adopted commercial media’s portrayal of the normal American family as the ideal, even though it strayed far from the average.
The late 1940s and the 1950s marked the start of the Cold War. The Cold War and the ensuing fear of communism left a mark …show more content…
For example, a popular sitcom known as The Honeymooners focused on gender roles commonly found within working class families and couples of the time. The female protagonist was consistently scolded for “squandering” money by her husband and his frequent threats of violence towards her were played up for laughs. When the female protagonist got a job, which heavily insulted her husband’s pride as if it were evidence he could not provide for her without help, the sudden reversal in gendered duties around the house was portrayed as comedic. The television show also touched on the discriminatory hiring practices of the time, where married women were viewed as too risky of an employee to hire, as they were too likely to get pregnant and quit. The episode “Brother Ralph” spent a large amount of its time focusing on reassuring the male protagonist’s masculinity during difficult times, and the wife’s efforts to do something independent that she subsequently decided was not as good as working at
The late 1940s and the 1950s marked the start of the Cold War. The Cold War and the ensuing fear of communism left a mark …show more content…
For example, a popular sitcom known as The Honeymooners focused on gender roles commonly found within working class families and couples of the time. The female protagonist was consistently scolded for “squandering” money by her husband and his frequent threats of violence towards her were played up for laughs. When the female protagonist got a job, which heavily insulted her husband’s pride as if it were evidence he could not provide for her without help, the sudden reversal in gendered duties around the house was portrayed as comedic. The television show also touched on the discriminatory hiring practices of the time, where married women were viewed as too risky of an employee to hire, as they were too likely to get pregnant and quit. The episode “Brother Ralph” spent a large amount of its time focusing on reassuring the male protagonist’s masculinity during difficult times, and the wife’s efforts to do something independent that she subsequently decided was not as good as working at