Social Issues In Pleasantville

Pleasantville is a motion picture that was released in 1998 which is a fictional drama on

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.

No one is sad, angry, guilty or curious. Everything is pleasant in Pleasantville. “Pleasantville, it’s just around the corner”. The “teenager”, an idea created in the 20th century where teenagers have matured into young adults, but do not yet fit into the responsibilities of adulthood. Jennifer is the typical immature teenage stereotype who presents herself as the sex-crazed 1990’s American teen, in stark contrast to the 1950’s Mary-sue.

In the beginning of Pleasantville Bud and Mary sue are confused, then they start to get comfortable, Mary sue didn't know anything about Pleasantville weren't convinced they were in the show. Learnt that breaking free of conventions will result in an individual's change in identity.

Pleasantville City’s population is approximately 34,200 with a significant senior citizen population residing in retirement homes located throughout the city and a roster of all residents is maintained at each facility. Pleasantville City is also home to five schools, two primary, one elementary, one secondary, and one high school. Pleasantville City is dedicated to the safe evacuation of all residents to include those residing in retirement homes as well as schools. As such, they are considered to have needs which this plan will address. A few of these needs are as follows,

Change is always occurring. Our lives consist of fierce amounts of changes due to growth, change of mindset, experiences, and society. There is not a feasible way to avoid change. Changes can be positive or negative; nonetheless, it has a powerful influence on an individual’s life. The film Pleasantville is introduced through revealing the structure of society in the 1950s and comparing it with modernized society which is thoroughly divergent.

The increase in marriages during World War II resulted in a tremendous rise in the birth rate leading to what has been termed the "baby boom." In fact, by 1957 the American birthrate had peaked at 118 births per 1000 women. (Faragher, 2009, p. 744) Also, in response to the post-war economic boom, there was a simultaneous increase in consumer spending among Americans. By the mid 1950's, "two-thirds of all American households claimed at least one television set." (Faragher, 2009, p. 744) But if the American economy was progressing, American women were not. During the war many women were allowed to take high paying manufacturing jobs, but as the men returned after the fighting, women were replaced. But many women still wanted to work, so there was a major increase in the numbers of women working after the war. Unfortunately, the jobs they were offered were low paying

The neighborhood Westmont located in South L.A. the area holds a population of 81,467 with an ethnicity of “Blacks at 57.7% and Latino at 39.9%” (Westmont). The median age is 25 in average for South L.A. but young for the county. As a matter of fact the percentage of residents ages ten or younger are among the county’s highest. In addition the ancestry and immigration of “Mexican 24.5% and Unspecified African 2.5% are among the most common” (Westmont). Westmont’s households median average is $31, 572. In fact, 5.7% of residents contain a 4-year-degree, unlike the other who only contain a high school diploma or less. Additionally, Westmont is ranked 12th in Los Angeles violent crimes contains 257 violent crimes in the past 6 months (Los

In Pleasantville, disorder starts to happen slowly as the movie proceeds. While David and Jennifer fight over the remote, there seems to be some strange guy at the door. This TV guy suddenly gives them a remote and they are magically in the world of Pleasantville. Pleasantville is a world that would be described as happy, and perfect, with perfect parents, school, a perfect town, and also with perfect children. The symbolism here is that everything is in black and white for a reason. The people of Pleasantville are very unaware of everything else, all they know is about Pleasantville, there are no books, and not even sex, and even the main streets have no limits. Even Mary Sue, who is Jennifer, asked her teacher Miss Peters, “What’s outside of Pleasantville? (Pleasantville Imbd)” and Miss Peters response was “The end of main street is just the beginning again). It seems that Pleasantville only exists to the people of the town.

The movie Pleasantville filmed in 1998 and set in the 1950s depicts an interesting cross section of the cynicism of modernity and the idealism of the past through juxtaposing old and new facets of television. The show, Pleasantville existed in an enclosed predictable ecosystem with no knowledge of corruption or world outside itself depicting the values portrayed in television of the 1950s. Everyone had a role and like most sitcoms, even today every episode concluded in a positive manner, usually with a lesson that reaffirmed the viewer’s beliefs.

The film Pleasantville is introduced through revealing the structure of society in the 1950s and comparing it with modernized society which is thoroughly divergent. In view of this perfect black and white 1950s civilization, unvarying is the key notion in their community. The citizens reinforce the idea of maintaining their view and ideologies on life and retain it that way. On the other hand, the modernized society is utterly different and is demonstrated with colour on the residents. Their society is inconceivable compared to the society in Pleasantville. The rationale to this basis is the comfort, happiness, and consistency the residents possess. The residents do not experience the problems in the modernized society such as global warming

Pleasantville Introduction: Comparing the life we live in now to the 1950s, it is clear that our world has changed. Not only has our world physically differed, but also the people who occupy it. Around the world, people have various ways of thinking, interpreting, and relating to how people lived in the past. Major traditional conventions from the past have completely changed. Throughout the film, Pleasantville, the director Gary Ross utilizes character development to present the idea that breaking conventions not only changes one self, but society as well.

After World War 2 American society faced different changes because of the war. For example because men were gone off to war women had to join the work force and even after the war they wanted to stay in it. Women stayed in the workforce even after their husbands came home. The role of men stayed the same because they were expected to be masculine and the head of the home. They were expected to be the sole provider of the household. In suburbia all houses looked the same. During the 1950s in the United States, the role of women, suburbia and

Pleasantville is a great movie with many hidden messages. The not so obvious but informative messages are one of best aspects of this nineties flick. The special effects are impressive considering this movie is indeed from the nineties. Pleasantville touches base on many actual conflicts in America and throughout history in the most subtle but blunt way. My favorite thing about this movie is how it takes this blind community and shows them what they never knew existed: passion and real emotion.

Everything seemed simple in the 1950s. Men worked, women stayed at home to cook, clean, and take care of the house and children if they had any. This is the goal of the “American Dream” that everyone wanted to achieve. People wanted enjoyment along with their daily lives, and the way to appeal to the people was to