EN 3177 Midterm: EN 3177 Midterm Exam Notes (Winter 2012)
Document Summary
American culture fixed itself on the middle class, the normal, and it was articulated in fantasy-like depictions within the mainstream popular culture after world war ii. Suburban life was originally reserved for the wealthy and urban for the poor, but the end of world war ii and the g. i. Bill enabled middle classes to live in suburbs en mass. Levittown attempted to mass produce homes to look exactly identical to one another. Archie promotes happiness of american life by introducing the readers to riverdale, a small beautiful and peaceful community filled with lively characters, mostly teenagers. Typical american suburbs and picket fences locates riverdale nowhere in america, but everywhere at the same time by featuring iconic symbols of american popular culture. Archie comics provide a distinct conservative view of american life and attempts to mock alternative lifestyles such as beatniks with beatific experience (blissfully happy).