From War to Wavelengths: Television’s Transformative Journey in Post-World War II Er

 

Ali Shakeel

Professor Clasby

English 101

3 December 2023

 

In the labyrinth of modern life, an omnipresent force has woven its threads into the very fabric of society, deriving connections, altering opinions, and dictating trends. Though we stand aware of the modern significance, the historical impacts are often overlooked. Following the echoes of the 2nd World War, the television became a mirror reflecting both the scars of the past and a beacon of hope for the unforeseen future.

In the aftermath of World War II, a world scarred by conflict sought solace and renewal. As nations emerged from the shadows of devastation, a profound transformation echoed across societies, reshaping the very essence of familial structures. The echoes of war lingered, yet a beacon of change illuminated the horizon—the advent of the television. Television emerged as a new family member within households, the newly found color within the television sets lit up the homes of Americans. Television was used as a source of entertainment, cultural influence, news and information, and even advertising during the post-World War II era. Television gave families a new form of entertainment within the comfort of their own home, essentially fostering a new sense of togetherness and unity.

This newly brought light with the Television wasn’t always glowing, times of darkness brought difficulty within households. Countless Television series portrayed the lasting worries of violent men, distracted children, and trapped women. While the Television brought churning hope for the future, the past clinged on and re-directed the trajectories the light the television brought. In 1953, sitcoms such as The Danny Thomas Show, portrayed men as beings who considered themselves,  “ogres” and “monsters,” who had to force down pills and release anger on physical objects to control themselves. Women, in this way, had emotional barriers to hurdle. Families felt unity in the presence of the television while a simultaneous sense of lingering pain. 

The introduction of television in post-World War II America catalyzed a paradigm shift in family roles, reshaping societal norms. Examining televised narratives, familial structures, and broader societal changes, unraveling connections that defined the post-war era. From idealized portrayals in sitcoms to nuanced influences on children and the redefinition of gender roles, television emerged as a cultural force that indelibly altered the trajectory of family life in post-World War II America. Analyzing the post-World War II familial interactions, one can analyze the double-edged impacts of the television on families.  

In order to unfold my thesis, I first consider the historical development of Television prior to and after its gain in popularity. To do so, I must draw upon the work of flagship writer Jacob Cliffton, and examine how the tragedies and global iniquities from the Great Depression and World War 2 deprived Americans. A relentless period of depression and war created lost Americans, churning for hope. Next, I explore the impacts of the television within households specifically. Using the scholarly articles of Mock Erin and Spiegel Lynn, “The Horror of Honey, I’m Home’: The perils of postwar family love in the domestic sitcom,” and “Make Room for TV : Television and the Family Ideal in Postwar America,” I plan to highlight the effects of television sitcoms on family life, the divergence from long-held traditions, and direct characteristic shifts within growing children. I delve further within households, and  speak to the lasting impacts the television drew for women. Drawing upon the scholarly work of Spiegel Lynn, “The Domestic Economy of Television Viewing in Postwar America,” I will interpret the emotional trap the television had created for women. After exploring the effects of the television on all facets of a family, I will finally connect the revolutionary impacts and articulate a concluding synthesis. 

As men stepped through the front doors of their homes after 6 years of cataclysmic global conflict, their families would greet them with great joy. Little did the ones excitedly awaiting their return know, the so-called resolution between a clash of ideologies created enraged and broken men. Though the outer frame of the image had been repaired, the details of the picture were broken. Wives were left to face the challenging task of managing the impact of war on family life and children bore the side-effects. Trauma, anxiety, and violence engulfed the lives of families, and children began feeling endangered in their own homes. On the outside, however, America was booming, an economic empire was in the building and the leading foot was the newly discovered Television. A new abundance in television sitcoms, broadcasted political campaigns, and advertisements had been found, and entertainment within households had reached new heights. A variety of genres were prevalent, family sitcoms, soap operas, and plenty of others. The root of these shows reflected the prevailing social norms and certain themes were presented through a lens that were reflective of the values of the time.  A family sitcom called, “Hi Honey, I’m Home ” explores and satirizes social norms in the 1950’s, specifically addressing nuclear families. Rusty, a sitcom character from, “Hi Honey, I’m Home” is, like the other members of the Nielsen family, a stereotypical representation of the 1950s family. In an intentionally exaggerated scene for comedic purposes, Rusty, referring to his father, exclaims,  “I’m afraid my best friend is going to kill me” (Mock 38). Mock is trying to emphasize a potential dysfunctional relationship between a parent and child and violence drawn from war experience being the driving factor. The children felt insecure and unsafe in their own home conveying that the effects the war had on men weaved their way into family relationships. 

Traditions are customs and beliefs passed down through generations, they play a significant role in shaping the shared experiences and values of groups. Traditions can carry social and cultural significance, immense emotional attachment, and they can even serve in shaping a group’s identity. Breaking a tradition is like shattering a delicate heirloom, each fragment on the floor holding the weight of sentimentality echoing the sounds of departure. The decision to voluntarily tear a generational tradition must be backed by definite and acceptable reasoning. As the television stepped into the homes of Americans, long held traditions shattered. The presence of the television held such significance to Americans that generational traditions were worth losing. To address the question if Americans “really need a piano,” one woman writes to a TV World columnist named Kathi Noris claiming, “ since we got our television set, we’ve had to change the arrangement of furniture in our living room, and we just can’t keep the piano” ( Spigel 38).  The television challenged long standing rituals and traditions, reshaping how families engaged in pre-existing practices. The direct substitutions speak to the shift in entertainment dynamics. Traditionally, the piano may have been the focal point of musical entertainment and social gatherings, but with the introduction of the television visual entertainment took initiative over musical activities. 

Embarking on a transformative journey through post-World War II America, the television created a mosaic of revolutionary impacts.  A mosaic that  unveils the profound influence of television on family roles, traditions, and societal norms, weaving together the threads of historical development, familial dynamics, and gender roles into a comprehensive tapestry of the television’s transformative role during this pivotal period.

 

 

Works Cited 

 

Clifton, Jacob. “How Did World War II Affect Television?” HowStuffWorks, 25 July 2023, people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/world-war-ii-affect-television.htm. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023

Fabes, Richard A., et al. “A Time to Reexamine the Role of Television in Family Life.” Family Relations, vol. 38, no. 3, 1989, pp. 337–41. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/585062. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023.

Livingstone, S. (2009). Half a Century of Television in the Lives of Our Children. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 625(1), 151-163. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716209338572 Accessed 6 Nov. 2023 

Mock, Erin L. “The Horror of  “Honey, I’m Home!”: The perils of postwar .” Film & History, vol. 41, no. 2, 2011, pp. 29-50. ProQuest, Accessed 1 Nov. 2023 https://libdatabase.newpaltz.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/horror-honey-im-home-perils-postwar-family-love/docview/909630601/se-2.

Spiegel, Lynn. Make Room for TV : Television and the Family Ideal in Postwar America. University of Chicago Press, 1992, Accessed 5 Nov. 2023

Spiegel, Lynn. “The Domestic Economy of Television Viewing in Postwar America.” Critical Studies in Mass Communication, vol. 6, no. 4, 1989, pp. 337–54, Accessed 5 Nov. 2023 https://doi.org/10.1080/152950389093667