Rock
Music has gradually changed, as the decades have passed, to include a variety of different styles; each being influenced in some way by the early blues and rhythm. As it does presently, in that time period, music created many conflicts between generations. Also in those decades, music created conflict between racial and gender classes. Glenn C. Altschuler, author of All Shook Up, discusses in this book all of these conflicts, and what rock ‘n’ roll did to aid or to discourage people of this time.
The book starts with a boy named Josh, whose life changes the summer he turns thirteen. Josh’s parents are divorced; he lives with his mom in Boston, and visits his dad every summer in Chicago. Before starting the seventh grade, Josh’s grandmother, who lives in Florida, breaks her hip. His mom decides to go and take care of his grandmother, and sends Josh to Chicago to live with his dad. Subsequently, Josh is forced to leave his school and friends in Boston and go live in Chicago for a few months. A surprise expects Josh in Chicago. Not only does Josh need to deal with fitting in at his new school, but he finds out that his dad is trying to be Elvis for living after losing his job as a shoe salesman. Josh is stunned and uncomfortable of his forty-year old dad who is pretending to be Elvis.
Altschuler focused on three aspects of American culture: race, sex and teenagers. He first stressed on how rock ‘n’ roll challenged the issue of race. First appearing in the late 1940s and early 1950s, this new genre of music disrupted the idea of racial segregation. Some African Americans feared that the integration would lead to the younger generation forgetting their own heritage. Yet, despite the protests of the adult generation, African American and White teenagers continued to delight in music together. Parents also stated that rock ‘n’ roll was ruining the “morals of a generation of Americans.” The highly sexualized music alarmed many parents, and they felt as though it
The book starts with a boy named Josh, whose life changes the summer he turns thirteen. Josh’s parents are divorced; he lives with his mom in Boston, and visits his dad every summer in Chicago. Before starting the seventh grade, Josh’s grandmother, who lives in Florida, breaks her hip. His mom decides to go and take care of his grandmother, and sends Josh to Chicago to live with his dad. Subsequently, Josh is forced to leave his school and friends in Boston and go live in Chicago for a few months. A surprise expects Josh in Chicago. Not only does Josh need to deal with fitting in at his new school, but he finds out that his dad is trying to be Elvis for living after losing his job as a shoe salesman. Josh is stunned and uncomfortable of his forty-year old dad who is pretending to be Elvis.
Altschuler focused on three aspects of American culture: race, sex and teenagers. He first stressed on how rock ‘n’ roll challenged the issue of race. First appearing in the late 1940s and early 1950s, this new genre of music disrupted the idea of racial segregation. Some African Americans feared that the integration would lead to the younger generation forgetting their own heritage. Yet, despite the protests of the adult generation, African American and White teenagers continued to delight in music together. Parents also stated that rock ‘n’ roll was ruining the “morals of a generation of Americans.” The highly sexualized music alarmed many parents, and they felt as though it