Ebert’s article describes a film, ‘Pleasantville,’ which brings out the social interactions in the 1950s. According to the article, the town shows a high degree of perfectionism whereby the residents do not experience any form of change. In the film, life has a certain way through which it must flow. The basketball team always wins because their shots are perfect. The arrival of Mary Sue and Bud sparks up change in this society. School kids are willing to adopt change and are curious about what lies beyond Pleasantville. The author urges that there is need to compare the new world and the 1950s with reference to the social change that has occurred (Ebert, 1998). Social changes that have occurred since the 1950s include that men had a say with regards to how women look. The society in the 1950s had a taboo on sex as compared to the new world. In addition, the 1950 community was a restricted to a certain way of carrying out things.
The 1950 society was highly dominated by men who dictated how women carried out themselves and their general outlook. Betty has already transformed, but only after her son applies make-up on her does she presents herself. She was not comfortable with herself without the male opinion (Ebert, 1998). Having a taboo on sex, the 1950s was dominated by lack of discussions on sex matters. A player in Pleasantville can actually miss a shot if he indulges in sexual activity (Ebert, 1998). The 1950s is a conservative world where activities have to take place in a certain order and the people avoid disruptions. The people in this town are restricted and confined to the norm. The streets in the city are the only subjects present in Geography lessons. The children in school start questioning about what lies beyond the city (Ebert, 1998).
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Psychological Analysis
The Pleasantville city is conservative and restricted and are yet to experience social change. In a psychologist’s view two questions might arise in this scenario. Will the presence of Bud and Mary change the conservative nature of the people of Pleasantville through interaction? When Bud and Mary and the Pleasantville residents are put together will they understand each other’s preferences for social interactions?
According to Acharya et al (2017) cognitive dissonance presents a situation whereby a person avoids a challenging situation with regards to their current preferences because it might cause mental discomfort. With reference to cognitive dissonance theory, the people in Pleasantville prefer to carry out themselves in a certain manner because it is the easier way instead of dealing with the challenges that comes with change. They have never bothered to find out what goes on beyond their city limits and are stuck to their social preferences. It is only when they start experiencing change through Bud and Mary do they become curious about what else exists beyond which they know.
Sociological Analysis
Sex and discussions on sexual matters is avoided in this city as a result of their conservative nature. Thus, a sociologist may ask, what kind of interaction existed between men and women in the 1950s and does gender roles have an effect on how sex is perceived in this society.
Change is likely with reference to the four-step sociological model of change (direction of change, rate of change, sources of change and ability to control change). Direction of change shows the social change will present a platform where the society will be free to indulge and discuss about sex. Rate of change will depend with how the inhabitants will view this new preference as compared to their previous conservative nature. The source of change in Pleasantville is Bud and Mary Sue who have already experienced social change. The ability to control change will be difficult because the people are no longer restricted by their conservative society.
Anthropological Analysis
The Pleasantville inhabitants are living a certain kind of lifestyle which seems perfect because they have never been presented with a challenge. Thus, an anthropologist might ask, what is the effect of environment on behavioral processes and how do social processes affect bodily functioning as in the case of sex and the people of Pleasantville.
The people in Pleasantville are leading their perfect life which does not present any challenges. However, Bud and Mary Sue arrive in this town and the inhabitants start experiencing change. Through interaction with Bud and Mary, the people of Pleasantville realize there is more to life other than their perfectionism. The people start experiencing change through their interaction with Bud and Mary Sue.
Conditions of and Obstacles to Change
Pleasantville does not experience change sooner because of various conditions and obstacles. The environment that the inhabitants find themselves in limits their social change. This is because they know nothing much other than their city. Subjects at school such as Geography are limited to what exists in the city. The women are limited because of the male dominance. They rely on their opinions and are focused on being perfect housewives as in the case of Mary Sue’s mother. The world in which they live in is in plain black and white. This is because it only operates in an orderly manner. This means that they have not experienced anything outside the norm thus, it becomes difficult to experience social change.
References
Acharya, A., Blackwell, M., & Sen, M. (2017). Explaining Preferences from Behavior: A Cognitive Dissonance Approach . Retrieved from https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/msen/files/cognitive-dissonace-theory.pdf
Ebert, R. (1998). Pleasantville . Retrieved from http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=19981001/REVIEWS/810010301/1023
