It is amazing that so many people are deeply affected by the media and the movies. As part of our study on the impact of film on history, I have decided to examine the role of television in the 1950's.
             Many sitcoms were focused around middle class, white families that concentrated many of their values around family and good morals. For example, I Love Lucy portrayed a married couple in which the husband was the one who brought home the money, while the wife was at home taking care of the child. It is not surprising that this not only reflected American values, but also shaped America as well. Other shows such as Father Knows Best portrayed much of the same American values.
             But I Love Lucy also reflected that fact that the women were not always content with their role in society. Lucy often wanted to be active in the workforce and work at Ricky's successful nightclub. She didn't just want to stay home and take care of the child. This sense of rebellion was admired by women of the 50's especially since they became so active in the workforce while their husbands were overseas fighting World War II. There was a large amount of women in the workforce at the end of the war, but many women came back to their subservient roles at home once their husbands returned from the war.
             In conclusion, the impact of television and movies in the 50's isn't monolithic, but more of the a dual impact. It not only reflected the lifestyles of women during that time period, but it also shaped what the future for women would look like.
             ...