THE CHANGE'S
In 1956, television brought the moving picture into people's homes. The uptake of television was enthusiastic and by the end of the decade it was estimated that over two-thirds of families in Sydney and Melbourne owned a television set. Over the next five years, television had spread to most other States.Television transformed the way Australians received information. It soon became Australia's dominant form of mass communication, taking over from radio and cinema and posing a challenge to print media.Television transmitted ideas into Australia faster than ever before. Australia's awareness and experience of the rest of the world changed rapidly. Television exposed people to other cultures and world views and provided information that would play a major role in shaping popular public opinion.
By the mid-1960's, television had truly taken hold as the most popular form of communication. Television was available in all but the most remote areas of Australia and it was estimated that by 1965, nine in ten Australian families owned a television set.With the invention of the television, the 1950's evolved differently than previous decades. Modernity crystallized, instilling brand new ideals and values for western civilization. After World War II, American soldiers came home to get reacquainted with their families and to get back to work. The women who were currently in the workforce because of the lack of “man” power returned to the comfort of their homes and started families resulting in the baby boom.It was through the 1950's that women were struggling with their sense of self. Since their husbands were now back home safe and sound from the war, the women of this era became domesticated once again—cooking, cleaning, and looking after the children.
It was through the 1950's that women were struggling with their sense of self. Since their husbands were now back home safe and sound from the war, the women of this era became domesticated once again—cooking, cleaning, and looking after the children.The television set entered North American living rooms in the early 1950's bringing with it a whole new lifestyle. Consumerism was thriving, advertisements were produced to entice the stay-at-home mom to purchase their cleaning products opposed to their competitor’s. In turn, women’s work in the home did not appeal to modern women. Isolation grew over housewives in the 1950's, perhaps a perfect time to purchase a television set. Eventually women got tired of staying at home and being situated in a dominating patriarchal world. These women wanted their freedom and wanted to start working in the modern world. Programs on television expressed ideological assumption of what gender roles must assume during the 1950's. The television became a symbolic entity during an era where gender roles became ambiguous with its arrival.
In 1948, only 350,000 television sets occupied American households. By 1953 just five years later, virtually 50% of American households had television sets, occupying over 25,000,000 homes.[1] With television growing widely popular among North American societies, so did advertising and consumerism. With women staying at home, the television set was a perfect companion to keep them occupied while doing their daily tasks. As presented in an episode of The Honeymooners, Alice decides that she wants a television set. “Not surprisingly, Alice begs Ralph for a television set, hoping that it will make her life more pleasant.”[2] When Alice explains the idea to Ralph, he isn’t keen on it and dismisses it promptly. Alice’s ambition to keep up with the modern world is an example of how consumerism has had an influence on 1950's ideology. The irony of this broadcast was doubtfully a coincidence. At the time of its original air date in 1955, this episode of The Honeymooners documented the explosion of television popularity that occurred only a few years before.
The symbolic ‘television set’ is portrayed more obscurely in the film All That Heaven Allows. After the traumatic decision to leave the man of her dreams, Cary’s two children purchase her a television set for Christmas. She does not seem pleased about their gesture. A shot of Cary’s lone face is reflected in the glare of the television screen. The television itself represents the symbol of ‘companionship for the lonely’ in All That Heaven Allows. Cary’s reaction to consumerism is negative compared to Alice’s. Alice is a woman who seeks refuge from boredom, while Cary feels as if she is the victim of modernization. The television represents the ‘women’s best friend’, and plays a prominent role in the 1950's.
Females were not exclusively the sole gender captivated by consumer culture. For instance, in The Honeymooners, Ralph becomes engaged in a soap opera (intended generally for a female audience) while his friend Ed becomes engaged in the children’s program Captain Video. The plot line here obviously pokes fun at the modern “working man” and how he himself becomes a victim of consumerism and modernization. This goes to show that although women are targeted for advertisements and television programs, men have also been captivated by consumer culture, thus contradicting ideological gender roles. An obvious example is when Ed takes his Captain Video apparel out of its box and wears it while watching the show.
As quoted in Christine Geraghty’s article “Soap Opera and Utopia”, “The emphasis on fantasy and escapism in women’s fiction is linked with the way in which it explores these issues through the creation of utopias, in which the values associated with the personal sphere are dominant…”[3] By being involved too closely in this “personal sphere” the possibility of isolation can, in some cases be a repercussion. A clear example is in The Honeymooners. Alice feels that she is being isolated from popular culture by not having the luxury of owning a television set. Ironically, at the end of the episode, it is not even Alice who ends up watching the television, but Ralph and Ed, the two “working men”. We do not even see Alice after the television is bought.
Similarly, in All That Heaven Allows, isolation is not the direct repercussion of having a television, but it does coincide with the issue of having a television as a substitute companion. Cary is in realization of the isolation that will proceed as we watch her through the reflection in the television screen. The solemn expression on her face indicates a perceived future of loneliness and hopelessness. Cary’s children’s gesture of purchasing the television set is a symbolic gateway to the fate of being forced to conform to the norms of 1950's ideology, and to refrain from following her dream to be with Ron.
By the mid-1960's, television had truly taken hold as the most popular form of communication. Television was available in all but the most remote areas of Australia and it was estimated that by 1965, nine in ten Australian families owned a television set.With the invention of the television, the 1950's evolved differently than previous decades. Modernity crystallized, instilling brand new ideals and values for western civilization. After World War II, American soldiers came home to get reacquainted with their families and to get back to work. The women who were currently in the workforce because of the lack of “man” power returned to the comfort of their homes and started families resulting in the baby boom.It was through the 1950's that women were struggling with their sense of self. Since their husbands were now back home safe and sound from the war, the women of this era became domesticated once again—cooking, cleaning, and looking after the children.
It was through the 1950's that women were struggling with their sense of self. Since their husbands were now back home safe and sound from the war, the women of this era became domesticated once again—cooking, cleaning, and looking after the children.The television set entered North American living rooms in the early 1950's bringing with it a whole new lifestyle. Consumerism was thriving, advertisements were produced to entice the stay-at-home mom to purchase their cleaning products opposed to their competitor’s. In turn, women’s work in the home did not appeal to modern women. Isolation grew over housewives in the 1950's, perhaps a perfect time to purchase a television set. Eventually women got tired of staying at home and being situated in a dominating patriarchal world. These women wanted their freedom and wanted to start working in the modern world. Programs on television expressed ideological assumption of what gender roles must assume during the 1950's. The television became a symbolic entity during an era where gender roles became ambiguous with its arrival.
In 1948, only 350,000 television sets occupied American households. By 1953 just five years later, virtually 50% of American households had television sets, occupying over 25,000,000 homes.[1] With television growing widely popular among North American societies, so did advertising and consumerism. With women staying at home, the television set was a perfect companion to keep them occupied while doing their daily tasks. As presented in an episode of The Honeymooners, Alice decides that she wants a television set. “Not surprisingly, Alice begs Ralph for a television set, hoping that it will make her life more pleasant.”[2] When Alice explains the idea to Ralph, he isn’t keen on it and dismisses it promptly. Alice’s ambition to keep up with the modern world is an example of how consumerism has had an influence on 1950's ideology. The irony of this broadcast was doubtfully a coincidence. At the time of its original air date in 1955, this episode of The Honeymooners documented the explosion of television popularity that occurred only a few years before.
The symbolic ‘television set’ is portrayed more obscurely in the film All That Heaven Allows. After the traumatic decision to leave the man of her dreams, Cary’s two children purchase her a television set for Christmas. She does not seem pleased about their gesture. A shot of Cary’s lone face is reflected in the glare of the television screen. The television itself represents the symbol of ‘companionship for the lonely’ in All That Heaven Allows. Cary’s reaction to consumerism is negative compared to Alice’s. Alice is a woman who seeks refuge from boredom, while Cary feels as if she is the victim of modernization. The television represents the ‘women’s best friend’, and plays a prominent role in the 1950's.
Females were not exclusively the sole gender captivated by consumer culture. For instance, in The Honeymooners, Ralph becomes engaged in a soap opera (intended generally for a female audience) while his friend Ed becomes engaged in the children’s program Captain Video. The plot line here obviously pokes fun at the modern “working man” and how he himself becomes a victim of consumerism and modernization. This goes to show that although women are targeted for advertisements and television programs, men have also been captivated by consumer culture, thus contradicting ideological gender roles. An obvious example is when Ed takes his Captain Video apparel out of its box and wears it while watching the show.
As quoted in Christine Geraghty’s article “Soap Opera and Utopia”, “The emphasis on fantasy and escapism in women’s fiction is linked with the way in which it explores these issues through the creation of utopias, in which the values associated with the personal sphere are dominant…”[3] By being involved too closely in this “personal sphere” the possibility of isolation can, in some cases be a repercussion. A clear example is in The Honeymooners. Alice feels that she is being isolated from popular culture by not having the luxury of owning a television set. Ironically, at the end of the episode, it is not even Alice who ends up watching the television, but Ralph and Ed, the two “working men”. We do not even see Alice after the television is bought.
Similarly, in All That Heaven Allows, isolation is not the direct repercussion of having a television, but it does coincide with the issue of having a television as a substitute companion. Cary is in realization of the isolation that will proceed as we watch her through the reflection in the television screen. The solemn expression on her face indicates a perceived future of loneliness and hopelessness. Cary’s children’s gesture of purchasing the television set is a symbolic gateway to the fate of being forced to conform to the norms of 1950's ideology, and to refrain from following her dream to be with Ron.