Trials
Ms. Shen
Name: _____________________________
1950s: A Decade of Conformity or Turmoil?
Life in Pleasantville parallels many of the 1950s sitcoms now seen on TV
Land. While shows like “Father Knows Best” and “Leave it to Beaver”
seem ridiculous to us now, they in fact provide an important tool to
understanding 1950s values. Using the themes present in the film
Pleasantville and your knowledge of the 1950s, write a well-written and
supported essay evaluating the truth behind the 1950s image of
conformity. Was life in the 1950s really as perfect as it seemed on the
outside? Why or why not?
NOTE: As we just wrote an essay, you are only going to be working on the outline for this assignment. You do NOT need to write the
full essay, only the outline. Also, I am giving you the introduction. You need to write a thesis statement and then outline the remainder of
the essay.
Intro Paragraph:
The 1950s were a time of peace and increasing wealth. After World War II, Americans wanted a perfect,
quiet middle-class life living in the suburbs. The growth of the suburbs saw the beginning of a decade of
conformity in the United States. Americans had once valued individuality, however, in the 1950s, they tried to
conform. Due to the Cold War and fear of communism, Americans worried that if they stood out, they might be
labeled as a communist so instead, they followed the norm. Although the media portrayed life in the 1950s as
peaceful and happy, in reality, the Fifties were more complicated than they were portrayed on television.
Your thesis should look something like this: There were two sides to 1950s life: the perfect exterior as seen by
____________________________ and the not-so-perfect side as evidenced by __________________________.
Outline Requirements:
•
•
•
Your sources should include information presented in class (Powerpoint, class notes, videos, etc.) and
readings from the textbook or handouts. (No additional research is necessary for this assignment.)
Please write in complete sentences wherever possible.
Remember to do more than list examples in your body paragraphs. You need to first cite the example and
then explain/analyze how it supports your larger argument.
Deadlines:
POINT
VALUE
DUE DATE
THESIS STATEMENT
5
Tuesday, March 13th
COMPLETED OUTLINE
65
Monday, March 19th
Pre-Writing
Directions: To get you started on your essay, please begin brainstorming below. Be sure to include more than the general
points for either side. Consider the various things we’ve studied in class sp far and begin thinking about which of these sources
you could use to support your case on either side.
1950s as a time of peace
1950s as a decade of turmoil
Nifty Fifties Essay Outline
Paragraph I (Introduction)
The 1950s were a time of peace and increasing wealth. After World War II, Americans wanted a perfect, quiet
middle-class life living in the suburbs. The growth of the suburbs saw the beginning of a decade of conformity in
the United States. Americans had once valued individuality, however, in the 1950s, they tried to conform. Due to
the Cold War and fear of communism, Americans worried that if they stood out, they might be labeled as a
communist so instead, they followed the norm. Although the media portrayed life in the 1950s as peaceful and
happy, in reality, the Fifties were more complicated than they were portrayed on television.
What will this essay explain and/or argue? (What is your specific thesis? Your thesis should contain the topics of your 3
body paragraphs.)
Thesis – Write your thesis statement below.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph II (First Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three examples?) – WRITE IN
A COMPLETE SENTENCE!
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example and SECOND be sure to explain
what each example shows. This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
3.)
What statement wraps up this topic? (What conclusion can be drawn from the examples from the examples in this
paragraph?) AND What phrase serves as a transition into the next paragraph? (How does the topic of this paragraph
connect to the topic of the following paragraph?) (TRY TO COMBINE THESE TWO THINGS INTO ONE SENTENCE.)
Paragraph III (Second Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three examples?) – WRITE IN
A COMPLETE SENTENCE!
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example and SECOND be sure to explain
what each example shows. This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
3.)
What statement wraps up this topic? (What conclusion can be drawn from the examples from the examples in this
paragraph?) AND What phrase serves as a transition into the next paragraph? (How does the topic of this paragraph
connect to the topic of the following paragraph?) (TRY TO COMBINE THESE TWO THINGS INTO ONE SENTENCE.)
Paragraph IV (Third Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three examples?) – WRITE IN
A COMPLETE SENTENCE!
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example and SECOND be sure to explain
what each example shows. This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
3.)
What statement wraps up this topic? (What conclusion can be drawn from the examples from the examples in this
paragraph?) AND What phrase serves as a transition into the next paragraph? (How does the topic of this paragraph
connect to the topic of the following paragraph?) (TRY TO COMBINE THESE TWO THINGS INTO ONE SENTENCE.)
Paragraph V (Conclusion)
What phrase serves as a transition from the body of the paper? (What connection can you make from discussing the
complexities of life in the 1950s to the larger belief that the 1950s were a time of peace and wealth?)
What more can now be said about the ideas expressed in the thesis statement? (Restate, in new terms, the thesis
statement. Then add further reflections.)
What thought-provoking statement concludes the essay?
So what? Why is the topic of this essay important? (How can you broaden the scope of your discussion?)
How does the topic of the essay relate to later events/issues?