1950s American Culture This Boys Life Slide 2 Pictures These
pictures are of the places spoken about in This Boys Life and
provide a visual framework for the memoir. Slide 3 Pictures Slide 4
Slide 5 Slide 6 FASHION Prior to the 1950s, teen clothing very
reserved/ proper but to some extent that changed in the 50s. Guys
Hair longer w/ sideburns and slicked back with grease. Jeans
Leather jackets (collar turned up to be cool) Girls Ponytails Pedal
pushers, Scarves. Poodle Skirts popular because 1) Easier dancing,
being spun around letting the skirt twirled. 2) skirt was loose and
free, a sign of freedom. Slide 7 Slide 8 Slide 9 Slide 10 Slide 11
THE 1950s: Anxiety, Alienation, and Social Unrest ?? Conservatism,
Complacency, and Contentment OROR Slide 12 The American Dream Post
War morality and fear We tend to imagine the Fifties as a tranquil
decade, but in fact Americans spent the years moving and searching.
They moved physically, from the Northeast to the South and
WestCalifornia's population grew by 49% during the Fifties,
Florida's by 79%. They moved from rural areas to cities and from
cities to suburbs. By 1960, a third of the country's population
lived in the 'burbs. Many people were content, but many others felt
ill at ease because of the speed at which the world was changing.
Searching for new ways of coping, they embraced religion. Slide 13
The American Dream Post War morality and fear 1950s suburbia was
desperate not to reveal any moral or psychological family scars,
especially after the trauma of the Depression and all the
casualties of World War II. America wanted another age of
innocence, and suburbia, with its quiet tree-lined streets, its
two-car garages, its chain link fences, would repackage all of
Americas twenty to thirty years of social trauma In the face of
change, people craved rules and boundaries, with a significant
increase in religious fervour and, through TV, the dissemination of
gender roles and the need for conformity and order. These values
were linked to the idea of an All American lifestyle and
patriotism, and any deviation from this was associated with
Communism. Slide 14 Morality Fairly Strict Society monitored by
society itself Rebellion was not acceptable Surge in Religion felt
good indicator of Anti-Communist Added Under God to the Pledge of
Allegiance Gender Roles strongly held Slide 15 SOCIAL CONFORMITY
American workers found themselves becoming standardized Called the
Organization Man, the modern worker struggled with a loss of
individualism Businesses did not want creative thinkers, rebels or
anyone that would rock the boat Slide 16 Despite their success,
some workers questioned whether pursuing the American dream exacted
too high a price, as conformity replaced individuality Slide 17 The
increasing role of media Social control vs. Globalisation Slide 18
POPULAR CULTURE A new era of mass media led by television emerged
in the 1950s In 1948, only 9% of homes had T.V In 1950, 55% of
homes had T.V. By 1960, 90% of American homes had T.V. Slide 19 THE
ADVERTISING AGE The advertising industry capitalized on runaway
consumerism by encouraging more spending Ads were everywhere Ad
agencies increased their spending 50% during the 1950s Advertising
is everywhere today in America Slide 20 THE GOLDEN AGE OF
TELEVISION The 1950s was known as the Golden Age of Television Mass
Audience TV celebrated traditional American values. Comedies were
the main attraction as Milton Berle, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
were very popular Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball starred in I Love
Lucy Slide 21 Changes in TV On-The Scene Reporting Game Shows
offered large cash prizes Businesses spent $$$ on TV Advertising
$170 million in 1950 $1 billion by 1955 $2 billion by 1960 TV Guide
= HUGE magazine, TV Dinners created so did not have to miss
favorite show Slide 22 Television The Western Davy Crockett King of
the Wild Frontier The Lone Ranger (and his faithful sidekick,
Tonto): Who is that masked man?? Sheriff Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke
Slide 23 Family Shows I Love Lucy The Honeymooners Glossy view of
mostly middle-class suburban life. But... Social Winners?... AND
Losers? Slide 24 TELEVISION EXPERIMENTS WITH VARIOUS FORMATS
Television innovations like on- the-scene-news reporting,
interviews, westerns and sporting events offered the viewer a
variety of shows Kids shows like The Howdy Doody Show and The
Mickey Mouse Club were extremely popular Slide 25 TV ADS, TV GUIDES
AND TV DINNERS EXPAND TV advertising soared from $170 million in
1950 to nearly $2 billion in 1960 TV Guide magazine quickly became
the best selling magazine Frozen TV dinners were introduced in 1954
these complete ready-to- heat meals on disposable aluminum trays
made it easy for people to eat without missing their favorite shows
Slide 26 LEISURE IN THE 1950s Americans experienced shorter work
weeks and more vacation time than ever before Leisure time
activities became a multi-billion dollar industry Labor-saving
devices added more spare time Labor-saving devices provided more
leisure time for Americans Slide 27 POPULAR LEISURE ACTIVITES In
1953 alone Americans spent $30 billion on leisure Popular
activities included fishing, bowling, hunting and golf Americans
attended, or watched on T.V., football, baseball and basketball
games Bowling remains one of the top leisure activities in the U.S.
Slide 28 Family Slide 29 THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 50s After WWII
ended, Americans turned their attention to their families and jobs
New businesses and technology created opportunities for many By the
end of the 1950s, Americans were enjoying the highest standard of
living in the world Ozzie and Harriet reflected the perfect
American family Slide 30 THE SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE Most Americans
worked in cities, but fewer and fewer of them lived there New
highways and the affordability of cars and gasoline made commuting
possible Of the 13 million homes built in the 1950s, 85% were built
in suburbs For many, the suburbs were the American Dream The
American Dream complete with a white picket fence Slide 31 The
Nuclear Family In the 1950's the normal American family consisted
of a breadwinner father, homemaker mother, and several children,
all living in homes in the suburbs on the outskirts of a larger
city. It was a narrow view of a model family, yet it pervaded the
media and was widely accepted as the ideal and most normal. Slide
32 REDEFINING THE FAMILY After WWII American society dictated that
a return to traditional roles was the norm and should be something
that all people strive for Men were expected to work, while women
were expected to stay home and care for the children Conflict
emerged as many women wanted to stay in the workforce Divorce rates
surged Slide 33 DR. SPOCK ADVISES PARENTS Many parents raised their
children according to the guidelines of pediatrician Dr. Benjamin
Spock He thought children should be allowed to express themselves
and parents should never physically punish their kids Dr. Spocks
book sold 10 million copies in the 1950s Slide 34 IMPACT OF BABY
BOOM As a result of the baby boom 10 million students entered
elementary schools in the 1950s California built a new school every
7 days in the late 50s Toy sales reached an all-time high in 1958
when $1.25 billion in toys were sold Slide 35 Symbols of the Baby
Boom in Suburbia 19501960 Hot Dog Production (millions of
lbs)7501050 Potato Chip Production (millions of lbs)320532 Sales of
lawn and porch furniture (millions of dollars)53.6145.2 Sales of
power mowers (millions of dollars)1.03.8 Sales of floor polishers
(millions of dollars)0.241.0 Sales of Encyclopaedia (millions of
dollars)72300 Number of Children age 5-1424.335.5 Number of
baseball Little Leagues7765,700 Slide 36 Fads of the Baby Boomers
Hula Hoops Frozen Foods Poodle Skirts and Saddle Shoes Panty Raids
Barbie and GI Joe Dolls Bikinis Frisbees Yo-yos Ouija Boards Dune
Buggies What celebrity deaths have most affected the Baby Boomers?
John F. Kennedy Marilyn Monroe Martin Luther King John Lennon Slide
37 Gender Roles and expectations Slide 38 Gender Roles in the 1950s
The emerging popularity of American television helped shape gender
roles for both men and women through the 1950s. Expanding families
and young children were reared in a TV generation, where gender
roles were clearly defined by the societal ideal. Shows like the
1954 sitcom "Father Knows Best" established in the title the
patriarchal sentiment of the decade, where men not only were the
primary breadwinners but ultimately presided over the family unit
itself. Slide 39 WOMENS ROLES IN THE 1950S During the 1950s, the
role of homemaker and mother was glorified in popular magazines,
movies and television Caring mothers, diligent spouses, obedient
partners, and "good" wives. They were expected to carry out her
man's every order and agree with him on everything. A good wife
always knew her place. Slide 40 Well-Defined Gender Roles The ideal
modern woman married, cooked and cared for her family, and kept
herself busy by joining the local PTA and leading a troop of
Campfire Girls. She entertained guests in her familys suburban
house and worked out on the trampoline to keep her size 12 figure.
-- Life magazine, 1956 Marilyn Monroe The ideal 1950s man was the
provider, protector, and the boss of the house. -- Life magazine,
1955 1956 William H. Whyte, Jr. The Organization Man A a
middle-class, white suburban male is the ideal. Slide 41 WOMEN AT
WORK Higher education for women was not valued within society,
however, when American men went to war, women had no choice but to
enter the workforce, in part because industry needed to continue,
and in part because they needed to earn a wage to support their
families. When men returned from the war many women did not want to
return to their Homemaker status and wanted to remain working.
However, those women who did work were finding job opportunities
limited to fields such as nursing, teaching and office support
Women earned far less than man for comparable jobs Slide 42 Mens
roles in the 1950s. While it is true that women experienced very
prescriptive gender roles in the 1950s, so too did men. Little
girls were expected to play with dolls like Barbie, but we also had
the boy toys like the GI Joe. This toy represented that men were
strong, had courage, and was "America's Movable Fighting Man." This
was new territory in imaginative play for boys - G.I. Joe was not a
"doll" he was an "action figure. Men were considered real men if
they were either the strong silent type or the tough,
you-talkin-to-me? street type with their ducks-ass hair style and
pack of Lucky Strikes rolled up inside their short t-shirt sleeve.
These real men played sports and avoided the arts; loved manual
labour and hated desk jobs; were hard drinkers; drove stick shift;
and dodged commitments, especially marriage, until the 11th hour,
after a brief courtship of prom night, drive-ins, street dances,
roller rinks, a summer at the beach, and making out in the balcony
back row at a movie theatre. A man in a uniform, fresh from active
duty, always had the upper hand on the street. Women in the 1950s
generally loved a guy in a uniform. Slide 43 Mens roles in the
1950s. As the head of the family, the man is expected to be the
bread winner, the one who works hard to earn a wage, so that he can
financially support his family. In the 1950s, most husbands had
attended college or vocational training. Their educational
background afforded them the opportunity to find a job. Men had a
great deal of pressure on them to ensure that they supported and
protected their families, needing to demonstrate wisdom, strength,
bravery and unemotional detachment almost on demand. Just as the
women were bombarded with images in which they were supposed to
live up to, the men were expected to be a blend of the classic
American Cowboy, the American War Hero, the wise and steady Father
(think Atticus Finch). Finally, men were expected to keep an
orderly household, a wife or child that does not behave in socially
acceptable ways reflects badly on him and his ability to discipline
them. Slide 44 Slide 45 H ow is this explored in T his B oys L ife?
The fact that a girl shared the name Tobias caused them both
scalding humiliation p7 I was subject to fits of feeling myself
unworthy, somehow deeply at fault Toby has an inferiority complex,
linked to his perceived need to wield power and demonstrate
masculinity p.9 Roy only partially fulfils gender expectations, Roy
didnt workp11, but he is a military veteran and a proficient
hunter. Also, in his own way, does a socially acceptable job of
teaching Toby to be manly pp11-12. As a 10yr old boy, I thought Roy
was what a man should be p12. Power can only be enjoyed when it is
recognised and feared p21 Dwights insistence on getting drunk at
the tavern and then driving dangerously home when his masculinity
is threatened after the rifle club competition (pp109 -113), while
he is courting Rosemary (pp74-76, 83) Slide 46 The construction of
the teenage identity Slide 47 Behavioral Rules of the 1950s: Obey
Authority. Control Your Emotions. Dont Make Waves Fit in with the
Group. Dont Even Think About Sex!!! Teen Culture Slide 48 EMPHASIS
ON YOUTH IN 1950s. First time the term Teenager was used. Drive-in
movies Good for dates Sock Hops informal High School dance Fast
food restaurants TV in 90% of homes by 1959 Teen Culture Slide 49
How is this explored in T his B oys L ife? The title of the memoir:
Wolffs choice of pronoun This it is decisive and assertive not, for
example, My Life as a Boy (apart from the obvious ambiguities) or A
Boys Life, or even My Life by Tobias Wolff. His choice of This is
indicative of his struggle to define himself during this period of
his life this is the account of his years as Jack. What we are to
discover is that throughout the memoir, Wolff is more than one boy
one who is not so much defined by his identity but by his search
for identity. If there is one framing narrative of this work, it is
captured by that pronoun: This this boy is Jack, as remembered and
described by Tobias Wolff, the man. Simultaneous narratives run
throughout This Boys Life; sometimes parallel, sometimes converging
these are the accounts of Jacks reality and his fantasies. Slide 50
How is this explored in T his B oys L ife? Tobias, as his father
before him had done, wanted to change his name to Jack, feeling
that it was more masculine. (p7.) The insight is less about the
name, and more about the pervading need to create a heritage to be
proud of but that the reality is, it is always a construction, both
by individuals and by society. Being close to so much robust
identity made me feel the poverty of my own, the ludicrous aspect
of my costume and props p23. Building a sense of self is an
on-going process, but the events of the first basketball game are
the moment Toby realises that way will not be one of cruelty p108
Slide 51 How is this explored in T his B oys L ife? Moments of
crisis often accompany the intersecting of reality and fantasy:
When Sister James pays a visit to Jack, who is at the time engaging
in a sniper fantasy (p. 22/23) When Jack scratches profanities onto
the bathroom wall at school, after his friends Taylor and Silver
cast doubt on his account of the Turkey shoot (p. 63) This
arguably* (you decide!) precipitates Rosemarys decision to send
Jack to Chinook and to accept Dwights proposal. Slide 52 How is
this explored in T his B oys L ife? When Jack successfully
campaigns to go to Paris but is unable to follow through (p.119)
interestingly, his key explanation is that he does not want to
change his name. (Would this be a threat to the identity which he
is constructing?) Following Jacks acceptance into Hill, where he
proves unable to sustain the fantasy Slide 53 How is this explored
in T his B oys L ife? Like Rosemary, Jack is optimistic that a new
life will bring a change in fortune; I was caught up in my mothers
freedom, her delight in her freedom, her dream of transformation.
(p.4) Jack takes this ideal one step further, by rewriting his
personal narrative/s to pre-empt this change. (As he does when
applying for Hill.) Slide 54 How is this explored in T his B oys L
ife? Introduce myself as a scholar-athlete, a boy of dignity and
consequence, and without any reason to doubt me people would
believe I was that boy, and thus allow me to be that boy- Important
quote because after Jack and his mom leave Dwight for the first
time hes always talking about how he wants to be a new person, a
cool person. This is another reason why Jack uses his imagination
to escape reality. It was truth known only to me, but I believed in
it more than I believed in the facts arrayed against it. I believed
that in some sense not factually verifiable I was a straight-A
student. In the same way, I believed I was an Eagle Scout. And on
the boy who lived in their letters, the splendid phantom who
carried all my hopes, I saw, at last, my own face Slide 55 Industry
and Employment Slide 56 Consumerism Slide 57 Industry and
Employment During the 1950s, businesses expanded rapidly More and
more people held white-collar jobs - clerical, management, or
professional jobs The fields of sales, advertising, insurance and
communications exploded White Collar jobs expanded greatly in the
1950s Slide 58 Automobile Revolution Slide 59 The Automobile
Culture After the rationing of WWII, inexpensive and plentiful fuel
and easy credit led many to buy cars By 1960, over 60 million
Americans owned autos Slide 60 The Automobile Culture Car
registrations: 1945 25,000,000 1960 60,000,000 2-family cars
doubles from 1951-1958 1959 Chevy Corvette 1958 Pink Cadillac Slide
61 The Automobile Culture First McDonalds (1955) America became a
more homogeneous nation because of the automobile. Drive-In Movies
Howard Johnsons Slide 62 How is this explored in T his B oys L ife?
Men are always the drivers. Aspects of masculinity are explored
throughout the text in association with their car; The man in the
Thunderbird- Young and handsome and fresh p38, he was on his way to
pick someone up. The imperfect nature of the car as a symbol of
masculinity so easily damaged. Pp38 39 * Silver screaming Yid at
the driver. p39 As a symbol of masculinity itself when Skippers car
is damaged in the sandstorm, his response is to cry, a feminine
reaction in the 1950s Tobias sneaks out and steals Dwights car,
toying with the idea of running away, branching out and being grown
up Slide 63 Interstate Highway System Slide 64 INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
ACT 1956 In 1956 Ike authorized a nationwide highway network 41,000
miles of road linking America The primary purpose of the highway
system was to support military supply routes, and to ensure that
there were clear escape routes for military vehicles in the event
of attack. Slide 65 IMPACT OF THE HIGHWAY The Interstate Highway
system resulted in: More trucking Less railroad More suburbs,
further away Trucking is the #1 means of moving cargo in the United
States today Slide 66 HIGHWAYS HOMOGENIZE AMERICA Another effect of
the highway system was that the scenery of America began to look
the same Restaurants, motels, highway billboards, gas stations,
etc. all began to look similar The nation had become homogenized
Anytown, USA Slide 67 Our new roads, with their ancillaries, the
motels, filling stations, and restaurants advertising eats, have
made it possible for you to drive from Brooklyn to Los Angeles
without a change of diet, scenery, or culture. John Keats, The
Insolent Chariots 1958 Slide 68 How is this explored in T his B oys
L ife? Metaphorically as well as literally, the Highways act as
escape routes for Rosemary and Tobias. Tobias' mother is constantly
moving locations to escape men, while Tobias' moves to his
imagination of hunting to escape from reality. Geography also helps
characterize Tobias, when he moves to colder weather his character
also becomes colder resulting in delinquent behaviours. Geography
plays an important role in This Boy's Life because when Tobias
moves in with Dwight into a small town far from other towns. Toby
begins to feel trapped. The mountains enclose him and he feels
certain there is no way to escape this life. Slide 69 How is this
explored in T his B oys L ife? When Rosemary and Tobias travel to a
new location via car, it is often a tumultuous and unhappy
destination, such as the journey to Chinook. However, when they
travel by bus to Seattle, they find some semblance of calm and
harmony. oh Tobyhes lost his brakes p3. Metaphor for their
situation they are beginning a journey that they are powerless to
stop. Flight is played out numerous times in This Boys Life. Since
flight is symbolic of freedom, every time Jack escapes from a place
or situation, it is symbolic of flight. The first instance of
flight is when Jack and his mother escape to the West. Jack
believes he is free of who he used to be, and of hard times. But
despite changing his name, this does not turn out to be the case.
Slide 70 How is this explored in T his B oys L ife? Jack encounters
more problems in Chinook, where most of the memoir takes place. He
takes flight to live with Chuck and his family, to visit his
father, and to go to Hill. But each of these are examples of failed
flights. Each time he fails, he discovers more about himself and
the world around him. This eventually leads him to discover his
passion for the army in which he gains successful flight. Wolff
says that the army was where I had been going all along, and where
I might still redeem myself (Wolff 286). Chinook, his fathers
house, and Hill were not where he was supposed to end up, which is
why his flights failed. Slide 71 Miscellaneous Metalanguage and
Quotes Slide 72 Interesting dichotomies Domesticated/Controlled vs.
Wild/Uncontrolled The relationship between Roy and Rosemary Roys
desperate need to control Rosemary belied his own disbelief in his
ability to domesticate his partner, not married to her, and
ultimately unable to create a family of his own with her, including
but not limited to her not falling pregnant. Chuck Nature/Natural
Processes/Unnatural Processes Toby playing archery the nun, and the
construction of her religion vs. the stand of trees where the boys
would revert to a more savage, some would argue, natural state of
interaction. P. 9 Juxtaposition of the Nun/church and Roy/family.
Furthered through the pronouns, father, sister etc. Slide 73 Motifs
Guns Guns exist as a symbol of power, who wields it, how it is
exchanged and passed on, and also how it is lost or stolen. Jack
has never felt confident that he is in control of his life. He
could never protect his mother from her horrible relationships or
the economic hardships they went through. However, with the rifle
in his hands, he feels as if he had complete power. As he points it
at objects and aims it at people, it represents the advantage he
feels he now has over them. the way it completed me when I held it
p19 Cars Are indicative of change, or shifting sentiments Norma and
Bobby #1 Toby realises he will never have a relationship with Norma
when he realises that Norma and Bobby have had sex. There is a hint
of innocence lost, but it also is a moment of building his own
sense of identity a decision that he will not be a cruel man p.108
Lying Tobias was obsessed with everyone perception of him. He
wanted everyone to think that he was some cool kid, but often
struggled with identifying what that actually looked like. Even in
his letters to a pen pal when he was a little was a complete
fabrication. He was obsessed with being anybody but himself. Slide
74 Motifs Nature, most particularly animals, are represented as
innocent victims of human brutality, stupidity or caprice: (p.21)
Jack shoots a squirrel. This is followed by extreme (but brief)
remorse and the ironic comment that Rosemary Like me, (she) was an
animal lover. (p.61) An early indication of Dwights nature killing
a deer with the car (p.63) Rosemarys story about the turkey
farmers. (p. 73) Dwights deliberate killing of the beaver and the
subsequent neglect and waste of its valuable pelt which is left to
rot in the attic. (p. 142) More on Dwight: Dwight would shoot
anything. Followed by a list - none of the animals, it should be
noted, are either edible or valuable for their pelts. Reveals more
of his destructive personality. The bears at the tip are degraded
by their contact with humans: And there were bears at the dump,
rooting in garbage and rearing up now and then with cans stuck on
their noses. (p. 80) This image is not one of a noble and powerful
animal, but one which has become corrupted and clownish. An
exception is this image (p. 62) as the fish move from coastal
waters (Jack and Rosemary in Seattle) to the mountain rivers, the
change of environment kills them. Rosemary and Jacks first visit to
Chinook is concluded with this grisly image: They were already
dying. The change from salt to fresh water had turned their flesh
rotten. Long strips of it hung off their bodies, waving in the
current. Slide 75 Motifs Facades Linked to the identity theme
earlier, an ongoing idea is that all people create a false version
of themselves Tobias does this through the changing of his name,
the construction of tales he shares with his penpal friend as well
as those around him and finally the clothing/costume he is fitted
upon his entry to Hill Dwight portrays himself falsely, generally
in areas in which his masculinity is perceived to be lacking his
hunting, driving, sociability and parenting skills, but this is
also demonstrated when he paints the entire house in Chinook white
(p88) and later does the same to the Christmas tree (p123), each
time Dwight is attempting to sanitise (white is a significant,
symbolic colour) his domestic life in an attempt to impress others.
Rosemary is not particularly good as facades and as such, avoids
them however; When she was worried she wore a pale, tight-lipped
mask. Now the mask was gone. She looked young and pretty As we
walked we made plans. We were ourselves againrestless, scheming,
poised for flight Tobias father hinted faade early in the text re.
the changing of his name, and the history of their families
religious leanings (always been Protestant. Episcopalian actually
Actually, his family had been Jews, but I had to wait another 10
years before learning this pp7-8) but later, the significance of
his faade was completed when he left to get groceries and had gone
crazy and was now in the custody of the police p239 Slide 76 Other
symbols and themes Violence is definitely an important aspect of
This Boys Life. One of the first instances that comes to mind is
the fight between Arthur and Jack. This is the first confrontation
between the two, and it goes from name calling, to swinging fists
and rolling down a hill. Though Arthur and Jack do not become
friends right away, this was the sparking incident that started
their interactions. On the opposite end of the spectrum, violence
is also used in This Boys Life to portray hurt and resentment. This
is seen between Dwight and Jack. Dwight is constantly abusing Jack
both physically and mentally, yet Jack does not allow to drag him
down too far. Here the violence is used to portray the perseverance
in Jack's personality. Jack is a healthy young boy with sight, but
this may also mean that he doesnt always see trouble coming. Jacks
blindness results in his lack of being able to stand up to his
cruel friends. It also results in his inability to know the
consequences of his actions.
