| The Wilson's are what you would call a typical 1950s American family. They
consist of the father and husband Frank, housewife Linda, oldest child Tommy age
17, Cheryl age 16, Mikey age 10, and Suzie age 8. They are a white middle class
family that lives in the suburb outside little rock, Arkansas. The neighborhood
was molded after Levittown, a famous suburb community outside of New York.
Right now it's Monday morning and the Wilson's are starting off their week.
"Breakfast is ready", yells Linda. She has just prepared pancakes, sausages, and
orange juice for her whole family. Also, she just finished ironing her husband's
dress shirt for work. On her way back to the kitchen, she receives a huge kiss
from her husband, seeing as she felt her identity was riding on him; since she
never managed to finish college.
"Oh Mother, the food smells so good!",
Suzie enthusiastically bellows in excitement. They all sit down and happily
eat their foods together, while Linda goes around and serving them seconds,
pouring them juice and coffee, and washing some dishes. Tommy and Sheryl finish
and are ready to go to school, Central High. "Bye mom and dad, we love you" they
both say. "We love you too kids, have a fun day" they replied back Tommy and
Cheryl get bin the car, and Tommy drives them to school. Frank had jus gotten the
car from the dealer. It was a 1958 chevalier, with all the luxuries. Frank Wilson
could afford it, since he was an executive working with a prestigious farming
products factory; where he worked for the animal feed division. The bank was
more than happy to lend him the money for the car, seeing that his job with the
factory was stable, the farming industry was growing and he qualified perfectly
as an average middle class white man. He was no different that any of his
coworkers.
"Jailhouse Rock is really good... By Elvis right?" Asks Tommy
"Why yes!" says Cheryl. The tune was blasting on a radical radio station playing
rock music. It was 1957, the year of the little rock nine. Tommy and Cheryl were
rather neutral towards segregation, they had good moral values. They had heard
about the incident earlier that year, but they didn't pay any attention to it.
Furthermore, Cheryl brought her slinky along to school. She was one of the
first to have a slinky in her group of friends. It was their favorite pastime.
According to Cheryl, it would be the new Barbie doll, but she was to old for
dolls. Tommy had a surge of courage and decided to ask Marie out, on a date. He
told her that they would go to the Drive-In that had just opened outside of
town. A John Wayne double feature was playing, that's all Tommy cared about. He
really liked westerns, since he always sat down and watched it with his dad on
TV. The television set was new at the house too. The older model they had burnt
out a few months back. Frank decide to get another one just as soon as the
neighbors got theirs. It was also a growing pastime in the 50s.
They day in
school saw the beginning of a polio vaccination campaign led by the county
hospital. It was a huge threat all around the US, so the campaign proved to be
successful in that area. Tommy and Cheryl didn't really care since they already
had a shot a few months back. Nevertheless, they were in awe after seeing the
endless line for vaccination.
By the end of the school day Tommy had a date
for Friday with Marie and Cheryl had learned how to wash dishes and bake muffins
all at the same time. On the way back home they listened to the new Rock's roll
station earlier mentioned. It was playing James Brown. The station broke a lot
of boundaries set by society in playing Rock's Roll, seeing as the adults
despised the music genre.
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