Rebel Without A Cause Essay

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The 1955 movie “Rebel Without a Cause” features the main character, Jim Stark, a teenage boy trying to fit into a new school after being transferred due to his rebellious past. Here, Jim meets fellow friends Judy and Plato, and bully, Buzz, who all play important roles not only for entertainment purposes, but also for socialcal closeness to the time period. Easily, the audience can determine that the film takes place during the Cold War era because of the significant trends and lack of security the town provided for it’s citizens.
The Cold War era lasted about four decades and consisted of the time where the United States and Soviet Union teamed against the Axis powers, however, not many actual battles occurred, just tension between the two
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This is not only showed with Jim’s parents, but also Judy’s and Plato’s. The parents are unable to understand with their children even though, ideally, parents should side and take time to connect with their children. The fact that lack of parental guidance is present in this movie give historians insight to true 1950 society. In the twenty first century, it is hard to pinpoint what an “average family” looks like due to many background and types of families there are today. However, it is safe to say that children cannot grow up alone; they need some form of guidance, whether that is the form of a parent or guardian.
Overall, the movie “Rebel Without a Cause” gives insight to the the culture and society of the 1950s. By providing context of security and family life during the Cold War era, historians are able to use this film as a primary source for research. The lack of rules lead to teenagers being able to get away with much more than teens today shows differences in society between the mid 20th century and the beginning of the 21th century. Lastly, the ties with parents and their kids tells the story of relationships. In the end, watching this movie 60 years later always the audience to reflect about the time

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