The 1950’s was an era that embraced change; soldiers returned home from war, the economy boomed, and new families were being created at a more rapid rate than ever before. Historical author Andrew Dunar claims that, more than ever, “people of the fifties living in the United States had reason to believe that theirs was the American century” (Dunar 167). Stereotypes of the era that had previously been accepted were clearly being pushed against; however, specifically the idea of the American Dream. This dream consisting of white picket fences, new homes and families, and strictly enforced gender norms was slowly beginning to feel the push from societal critics to change the previously accepted norms and values. In response to all of the changes
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These works were created by authors who truly wanted to challenge previously accepted norms and, instead, showcase and embrace the changing society. Authors such as J.D. Salinger, Eugene O’Neill, and Adrienne Rich truly seemed to capture the essence of the 50’s era in their vast variety of works. Specifically in Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the main protagonist, Holden Caulfield, outwardly rejects all of the norms that society has pushed onto him. He clearly does not want to abide by the lifestyle his parents have set up for him, and instead, he chooses to rebel against these phony norms and embrace the change surrounding him. Further, O’Neill’s A Long Day’s Journey into Night deals with the exposition of a family who is internally struggling on a multitude of levels, but still attempts to put on an exterior that satisfies the cliché American Dream stereotype. Finally, Adrienne Rich’s most evocative poems including “Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law,” and “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” both address women’s social issues of the 1950’s such as women in the workplace, motherhood, and a woman’s duties within the family, all of which directly speak to the American Dream ideal. In all of these works, the stereotype of “The American Dream” is not only explored, but more so, is questioned against the newly blossoming societal
These works were created by authors who truly wanted to challenge previously accepted norms and, instead, showcase and embrace the changing society. Authors such as J.D. Salinger, Eugene O’Neill, and Adrienne Rich truly seemed to capture the essence of the 50’s era in their vast variety of works. Specifically in Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the main protagonist, Holden Caulfield, outwardly rejects all of the norms that society has pushed onto him. He clearly does not want to abide by the lifestyle his parents have set up for him, and instead, he chooses to rebel against these phony norms and embrace the change surrounding him. Further, O’Neill’s A Long Day’s Journey into Night deals with the exposition of a family who is internally struggling on a multitude of levels, but still attempts to put on an exterior that satisfies the cliché American Dream stereotype. Finally, Adrienne Rich’s most evocative poems including “Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law,” and “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” both address women’s social issues of the 1950’s such as women in the workplace, motherhood, and a woman’s duties within the family, all of which directly speak to the American Dream ideal. In all of these works, the stereotype of “The American Dream” is not only explored, but more so, is questioned against the newly blossoming societal