Rebel Without A Cause By Nicholas Ray

A common saying people have embedded in our minds is that the past between 1950s and 1960s is considered as “The Good Ol’ Days” or “The Golden Age.” These assumptions were made due to the prosperity and growth of the nation however the truth is that many Americans felt disadvantaged. After WWII women became confined to the home where they were expected to care for the family. Many housewives did not like these conditions because they felt as though they were slaves in their own little worlds by losing rights they had gained during the war. The only work women were wanted for was for cooking, cleaning, laundering, sewing, taking care of children, etc. Many women became discouraged due to the fact they no longer felt important in society.

As World War Two came to a close, a new American culture was developing all across the United States. Families were moving away from crowded cities into spacious suburban towns to help create a better life for them during and after the baby boom of the post-war era. Teenagers were starting to become independent by listing to their own music and not wearing the same style of clothing as their parents. Aside from the progress of society that was made during this time period, many people still did not discuss controversial issues such as divorce and sexual relations between young people. While many historians regard the 1950s as a time of true conservatism at its finest, it could really be considered a time of true progression in the

The woman’s role in society had many changes during the era of WWII to the baby boom era. It went from the strong independent woman that can work in a factory to a house wife that takes care of the family to the final slightly dominant, but still dependent female. All of these different feminine mystiques were changed because of society and through indirect propaganda in TV shows and

World War II had just ended. Women that were working because their husbands were out fighting in the war came back home when the war ended. The 1940’s ended and it was time for a new decade. The 1950’s were looked as a state of mind or a way of living instead of another time in American history. The 1950’s were the most influential decade in American history because the civil rights act began, fashion was completely new and trendy there were more much advancement in entertainment and medicine, and suburban life was much more functional than any other decade in America.

The post WWII era lives up to its reputation of conformity through its cultural, social and political aspects. Communism and McCarthyism became a major

(Rampell). Women who are married today have more freedom working, but women who were married in the 1950s did work during World War II. However when World War II ended, women had to returned home from their jobs because the men were coming home from the war. (Stoneham). This is when many women lost their sense of independence because they had to provide for their husband and children again and some women stayed at their jobs in the 1950s.

After World War II, the American psyche became permanently stained with new ideas. During this time period, the American government actively sought to change the way the American people thought. The support of the American public was crucial to the success of the war effort. Many ideas introduced during this point of time consisted of new roles of certain people groups in American society. Women and minority groups would prove themselves in the workplace, millions of citizens would be discriminated against, and social barriers would be broken and assembled. Even though World War II took place in Europe and the Pacific, it made lasting social changes that can still be seen in America.

When historians observe the 1950’s (50’s) and 1960’s (60’s), they tend to generalize both decades. The 1950’s is seen as a era of conformity and political consensus. The 1950’s are normally viewed as a time of peace and prosperity because many Americans were able to save money during World War II. Mainly white Americans will move to less crowded areas and make their living off of white collared jobs. During the 50’s many Americans will view Communism as an evil, economic power and wish to spread Capitalism instead. The 60’s, however, is viewed as a decade of nonconformity and political divisiveness. Many young men would refuse to fight in the Vietnam war, and women would begin to break the tradition of the “stay at home wife,” and begin to join the workforce. However, both decades show conformity and nonconformity.

As the baby boom added to the reasons for women to stay or to return to domesticity, there were other factors at work. Not only were there more children to increase their home-based responsibilities, but there were geographical reasons that separated women from men. The suburban explosion in the late 1940s and 1950s was

When the war started, women had to take over the jobs of men and they learned to be independent. These women exemplified the beginning of change. Coupled with enfranchisement and the increased popularity of birth control, women experienced a new

Post World War II America was a society full of anxiety. In the late 1950s Americans were deeply troubled by so many social shifts. Major changes were occurring both internally and externally. They were in the midst of the Cold War, and were vastly approaching the atomic age. There was a communist scare and fear of Russian expansion. Joseph McCarthy was hunting down major celebrities for their communist involvement and the 'Red Influence' seemed to be everywhere. The move toward suburbia and the growth of multinational corporations were flourishing. People seemed to be pulled in every direction. Another change that would have a major impact on society for years to come was the

Women filled these positions and did a great job doing work that had only been done by men up to that point. When the war ended, women were forced out of their jobs so that the men could take them back. “Wartime polls showed that between 60 and 80 percent of these women wanted to keep their jobs when the war ended” (Pg. 882). Women were then treated like they were helping during the Cold War by staying home and taking care of the family. The pressure to be the “perfect housewife” was made worse by popular television shows that celebrated “traditional families” or “nuclear families” during a time when more and more women were going off to college and working outside the home (Pg 924). Advertisement for new appliances to make life easier targeted women because they got to “at least exercised authority over many household purchases” while the men worked and earned money, at times really far away from home. By the time the 1960s rolled around, women were “demanding equality in both public and private life” (Pg. 963). Women were starting to realize that the family dynamic was not always what the media portrayed it to be so they changed their attitudes toward marriage and divorce. New feminism became main objective when it came to activism. Women led marches and rallies for gender discrimination. The main goal was to pass an Equal Rights Amendment. Unfortunately, numerous Latinas and African American women considered the push for women’s rights a white middle-class movement. Even though the Equal Rights Amendment did not go through for countless years, women advanced in education and the workplace. During the 1970s and 1980s, courts started to strike “down numerous statutes and regulations that limited women’s rights to property, employment, and reproductive choices” (Pg. 964). Women held about half the jobs in the 1990s and moved into higher professions, including law, medicine, accounting, and higher

During the 1950s, a sense of uniformity and conformity was prevalent in the American society, as the young and old alike followed the mainstreams norms rather than striking out on their own. The 1950s was a time of unprecedented wealth for many Americans. Many people enjoyed lives of comfort and convenience. By the end of the decade, however, some of the young people in America began to become dissatisfied with the dullness of their everyday lives. They started searching for something more meaningful.

Rebel Without A Cause is a very popular film from 1955. It depicts life in the 1950's from the viewpoint of three teenagers who live in Los Angeles, California. They live in a comfortable environment in middle-class America. However, they must deal with their own inabilities to "fit" into society. The teens try to fit in with their peers and find the love they so desperately need from their families and others like their peers. The biases presented in the film's are based on cultural values form the 1950s. Rebel Without A Cause also compares to some of the data presented in the text Nation of Nations. The film also compares to the general view America has of the period of the

During WW2 the presence of men at home was to a bare minimum. The impact this had on women was felt throughout the nation. How women would be looked at would be changed forever. They had to uphold various positions that were usually held by men and reevaluate their roles as homemakers. Their lives at home had changed; they were no longer the primary care giver. They also joined different parts of the military. Due to men being away at war during WW2 women were forced to participate in the workforce, which would change their view of their position in society.