The beginning of A Walk to Remember takes place in the 1950s. During this time period the United States had the most powerful military in the world. Since WW2 ended the economy was booming which meant new cars, suburban homes, and many other new developments. The Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas took place in the 1950s. This now allowed colored kids to go to school with white kids. When you hear 1950s the first thing that comes to my mind is modesty. Religion was a strong indicator of anti-communism during this time period, because of this people dressed very conservative, men wore suits and women wore dresses.
Just like today music was a part of everyday life. In the 1950s rock 'n roll was developed from a mix of Southern blues and gospel. Billy Haley, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis were idolized by teens across the nation. Television became the main source of media. Newsman now could not only tell a story but also include videotaped pictures from the event. History programs were widely watched and gave viewers a new perspective. Due to the development of t.v. you would expect that radio would have a declining audience however this is not the case. Radio was still a source of information and a easier way to share music. I believe that all of these aspects will shape the book in the future and possibly impact the main character.
Works Cited
Bradley, Becky . "1950-1959." American Cultural History. Lone Star College-
Kingwood Library, 1998. Web. 7 Feb. 2011.
I think this book looks interesting considering how long ago it was written!
ReplyDeleteThis post was really interesting! I liked how you compared the times then to the times now by saying, "Just like today music was a part of everyday life," and, "...were idolized by teens across the nation." I think many times, we look at the past and think the people were nothing like we are today. However, your post reminds us that that is not the case! Music was still a big part of life, and just like us, teens idolized singers and actors.
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