1950s Nuclear Family Essay

Since the 1950s, the structure of American families has been shifting due to historical events that cause society to rethink the purpose of families. Beginning in the 1950s and 1960s, the peak of the nuclear family model occurred, but soon began to crumble as the 1970s approached and continued to fall apart into the 21st century. Social and economic factors caused single parent families while multigenerational homes increased in popularity. Throughout the decades, the ideal nuclear family portrayed on television in the 1950s gradually morphed into a postmodern family system on television with new gender roles and greater diversity and representation to reflect the society they render. During the height of the nuclear family in America, 1950s

However, during the previous decade of the 1940s, women were providing for their families while their husbands were fighting in World War II. Unfortunately, as the war ended, the men were sent back to work, so women were forced out of the workplace and back into the homes. Men resumed their dominating duties by micromanaging their families and controlling their wives. As demonstrated in Father Knows Best, the title itself degrades women and creates an imbalance between parents by insinuating that women’s opinions are not valid compared to men’s. The show is focused on how the father parents his children, not the mother. Additionally, Ozzie and Harriet is another example of the power dynamic between men and women. When Ozzie gives advice to his son David to stop offering to help everyone and say no sometimes, it is seen as great advice for David to advocate for himself. However, television in the 1950s would not portray a father giving advice to his daughter to stand up for herself because it would be considered rude to say no to someone. Women in the 50s did not have the power to stick up for themselves the same way men did because men were head of the household and controlled

One liberal idea mentioned in One Day at a Time was a woman taking back her maiden name after divorce to reclaim herself for who she is and not who her previous husband was. However, the show still heavily relied on the theme that women need a man’s help to parent effectively. It is inferred that even though a woman can be a single parent, they are not as capable as a man and woman parenting together. Juxtaposing a woman being a single parent, Full House demonstrates how a man is seen as a hero when parenting as a single parent. Men are typically celebrated when placed into involved parenting roles while women are seen as weak and struggling. However, Full House does bring in extended family as a suprasystem to help raise the kids. This idea combats gender norms that mothers raise the children because the father and other male relatives are raising three girls instead. Additionally, 70s and 80s television incorporate the three sociocultural characteristics of the family system: family cohesion, family flexibility, and family communication. The characters adapt to change together and support each other through unknown territory. They also express their love for each other both verbally and physically between all genders. Ideas are shared between family members to improve