A classic example of a popular TV show in the 1950s would be Leave it to Beaver. The show ran from 1957-1963. This show, among several others such as The Donna Reed Show, and The Adventures of Ozzy and Harriet were domestic comedies. They were geared towards a family audience and generally portrayed a white, middle-class, suburban family. Everyone in the family had traditional nuclear roles. In Leave it to Beaver, for example, there are two sons--Wally and Beaver. The show is from Beaver's point of view--it follows him and his different adventures while growing up. The mother, June, is a loving and nurturing stay-at-home mom. The father, Ward, works an office job and always makes sure to teach his children lessons that will help them grow. Ward and June have a stable, happy marriage--which is seen as a cornerstone to a typical, happy American family. This can be seen in the intro to the show:
The divorce rate back in the 50s was steadily around 25%, so it was significantly less common than it is today (Jones). The marriage between June and Ward, their relationship with their children, and their conservative values and middle-class life were meant to be a standard to thrive towards for the typical American family in the 50s. This desire for happiness and peace could be seen as a direct result of the end of WWII. After several years of poverty, political turmoil, and seperation a calm, suburban life probably seemed appealing to many Americans. The popularity of Leave it to Beaver directly reflects this desire for peace. Rarely, if ever, does the show address current social issues. It simply shows a nuclear family and strives to teach moral lessons. Leave it to Beaver reflects the human identity during the 1950s because of its traditional core values and its representation of the idealistic nuclear family. It symbolizes the desire of the American people for a peaceful existence after the hardships and trauma of WWII.
References for this post:
Jones, A. M. (n.d.). Historical Divorce Rate Statistics. Retrieved July 20, 2016, from
http://divorce.lovetoknow.com/Historical_Divorce_Rate_Statistics
References for this post:
Jones, A. M. (n.d.). Historical Divorce Rate Statistics. Retrieved July 20, 2016, from
http://divorce.lovetoknow.com/Historical_Divorce_Rate_Statistics