suburbia
The Decaying of Pleasantville
Since the 1940’s, there has been a mass movement by Americans to live in the suburbs. They were searching for a sense of security, community, and open space that the city lacked. Suburbia was the answer to America’s discontent. It promoted the ideal community; with less crime and congestion. Suburbanites wanted to raise their families away from the cities in a wholesome, controlled, idealistic neighborhood. Suburbia became this romanticized idea.
The suburbs became a fixture in American’s lives after World War II due to the GI Bill. The government was appreciative of the soldiers who had fought in the war, and felt that they could repay the veterans by giving them a chance to rebuild their lives through owning a home. In Keats book, ” The Crack in the Picture Window”, he says veterans were given the opportunity of receiving “low-interest mortgages” on homes. Though unbeknownst to the veterans Keats reveals that the “bankers could recover a certain guaranteed sum from the government in event of the veteran’s default”. The idea of owning a home continued to flourish through various advertisements such as radio, print and from television shows that portrayed the illusion of suburbia.
During this time, the so-called baby boom was in full effect. Due to this fact, the housing market soared and suburbia was well on its way. Communities were developed by companies such as The Irvine Company and American Nevada Corporation. Just like in the series “Weeds”, the suburbs are the product of this demand. The developers masterminded cookie cutter homes that looked alike in every aspect and catered to single family dwellers. These types of residences were “well-manicured developments…”(Guterson 158) that David Guterson talks about in his paper, "No Place Like Home.”
These homes were evenly spaced and sized lots that aren’t just separated by measurements but by something else as well, “Each development inhabits a planned
Since the 1940’s, there has been a mass movement by Americans to live in the suburbs. They were searching for a sense of security, community, and open space that the city lacked. Suburbia was the answer to America’s discontent. It promoted the ideal community; with less crime and congestion. Suburbanites wanted to raise their families away from the cities in a wholesome, controlled, idealistic neighborhood. Suburbia became this romanticized idea.
The suburbs became a fixture in American’s lives after World War II due to the GI Bill. The government was appreciative of the soldiers who had fought in the war, and felt that they could repay the veterans by giving them a chance to rebuild their lives through owning a home. In Keats book, ” The Crack in the Picture Window”, he says veterans were given the opportunity of receiving “low-interest mortgages” on homes. Though unbeknownst to the veterans Keats reveals that the “bankers could recover a certain guaranteed sum from the government in event of the veteran’s default”. The idea of owning a home continued to flourish through various advertisements such as radio, print and from television shows that portrayed the illusion of suburbia.
During this time, the so-called baby boom was in full effect. Due to this fact, the housing market soared and suburbia was well on its way. Communities were developed by companies such as The Irvine Company and American Nevada Corporation. Just like in the series “Weeds”, the suburbs are the product of this demand. The developers masterminded cookie cutter homes that looked alike in every aspect and catered to single family dwellers. These types of residences were “well-manicured developments…”(Guterson 158) that David Guterson talks about in his paper, "No Place Like Home.”
These homes were evenly spaced and sized lots that aren’t just separated by measurements but by something else as well, “Each development inhabits a planned