The 1950’s: An Era of Fear

The Cold War  A state of political tension and military rivalry between nations  Hot war = soldiers guns and battles  Cold War = embargos, spies, no diplomacy, lots of threats  Stops short of full-scale war  Example: Tension between the United States and Soviet Union following World War II.

United States History  2 nd Red Scare Increased fear of spying by Communists (think: an-american ideals) Increased fear of spying by Communists (think: an-american ideals) Heightened Soviet Oppression and international tension Heightened Soviet Oppression and international tension Fears spurred aggressive action in US: Fears spurred aggressive action in US: Red-baiting, blacklisting, jailing and deportation of people suspected of following Communist or other left-wing ideologyRed-baiting, blacklisting, jailing and deportation of people suspected of following Communist or other left-wing ideology

Joseph McCarthy/McCarthy era  Joseph Raymond McCarthy Republican U.S. Senator from Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in Beginning in 1950, the most visible face of extreme anti-communist suspicion. Claimed that large numbers of Communists, Soviets spies and sympathizers hid inside the federal government and elsewhere. Caused lots of people to be unjustly fired, their reputations and lives ruined by others’ fear

McCarthy Cont’d McCarthy's tactics and inability to substantiate claims led to being discredited and censured by the United States Senate. America upset that he made them look ugly and afraid of their own shadow for no good reason The term "McCarthyism," coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's practices, was applied to similar anti-communist pursuits. Applied to people who try to scare others for their own benefit

Hollywood Blacklisting/Blackballing  Hollywood blacklist: mid-twentieth-century list of screenwriters, actors, directors, musicians, and other U.S. entertainment professionals denied employment in the field because of their political beliefs or associations, real or suspected. mid-twentieth-century list of screenwriters, actors, directors, musicians, and other U.S. entertainment professionals denied employment in the field because of their political beliefs or associations, real or suspected. People fired and lives ruined.People fired and lives ruined. Affected arts and education for several yearsAffected arts and education for several years

Hollywood Blacklisting/Blackballing  Artists barred from work on the basis of: Alleged membership in or sympathy toward the American Communist Party, Alleged membership in or sympathy toward the American Communist Party, Involvement in liberal or simply humanitarian political causes associated with communism Involvement in liberal or simply humanitarian political causes associated with communism Refusal to assist federal investigations into Communist Party activities Refusal to assist federal investigations into Communist Party activities Their names came up at the wrong place and time. Their names came up at the wrong place and time. Sound familiar? Sound familiar?

T.V.  In the 1950's, television became the dominant mass media  In the 1950's, television became the dominant mass media  In the early fifties, young people watched TV more hours than they went to school, A trend which has not changed greatly! A trend which has not changed greatly!  Television images accepted as “true”  Television images accepted as “true” Ideal family, ideal schools and neighborhoods, the world, were all which had only partial basis in reality. Ideal family, ideal schools and neighborhoods, the world, were all which had only partial basis in reality.  People began to accept what was heard and seen on television because they were "eye witnesses" to events as never before (live TV).  People began to accept what was heard and seen on television because they were "eye witnesses" to events as never before (live TV).

Dystopia   Utopia: A perfect world always getting better   Dystopia: an imperfect world in the process of becoming worse.   Dystopian society: a state in which the conditions of life are extremely bad, characterized by human misery, poverty, oppression, dictatorship, anarchy, violence, disease, and/or pollution.

Dystopian Novels   Books that highlight the problems of society in order to provoke social change   Fahrenheit 451 highlights: Over-reliance on technology Shrinking attention spans Lack of concern for others   May or may not pretend to be “good”   Starts of with “good intentions” but a fatal flaw or destroys or twists attempts at making things better

Ray Douglas Bradbury and F451  Ray Douglas Bradbury born August 22, 1920 born August 22, 1920 American literary, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer American literary, fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer Considered to be one of the greatest and most popular American writers of speculative fiction of the twentieth century. Considered to be one of the greatest and most popular American writers of speculative fiction of the twentieth century. Still alive today! Still alive today!

Ray Douglas Bradbury and F451  Fahrenheit 451 (p. 1953)  Setting Sometime in 21 st Century Sometime in 21 st Century Unspecified U.S. city Unspecified U.S. city  Point of View 3 rd Person, limited omniscient 3 rd Person, limited omniscient  Narrator Guy Montag (protagonist) Guy Montag (protagonist)

Works Cited  #tv #tv #tv  /a_womans_role_in_the_1950s.html /a_womans_role_in_the_1950s.html /a_womans_role_in_the_1950s.html   arly-civilrights/brown.html