Television in the Family Circle Lynn Spigel Summary

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Start your review of Make Room for Television set: Television and the Family Ideal in Postwar America

Feb 02, 2012 William rated it liked it

In Avalon, one of my very favorite movies, there is a scene in which three generations of the Krichinsky family gather in the living room to lookout their new television. The Krichinskys are in the process of assimilation - Sam, now a granddad, came to America in 1914. His son, Jules, has brought home an early television set. With the tiny screen embedded in a beautifully varnished forest cabinet, the television looks more similar a piece of furniture than a revolutionary entertainment device. Switched In Avalon, i of my very favorite movies, at that place is a scene in which three generations of the Krichinsky family unit gather in the living room to watch their new goggle box. The Krichinskys are in the process of assimilation - Sam, now a grandpa, came to America in 1914. His son, Jules, has brought domicile an early on television receiver. With the tiny screen embedded in a beautifully varnished wood cabinet, the television looks more like a article of furniture than a revolutionary amusement device. Switched on, the family's initial reaction is, to modern eyes, quite amusing. The merely image displayed on the screen is a test design, blackness and white, of course, with a slight drone or hum coming from the speaker. Sam's married woman, Eva, apace states she doesn't understand the appeal. Notwithstanding, the family dutifully sits in front of the television, which silently lights the dim living room somewhere in Baltimore suburbia, waiting for something to happen. A cut, followed by changes in posture amid the domestic audience, informs the viewer that the family has been waiting for some time. Suddenly, the screen jumps to life, the Krichinsky grandchildren scramble in front of the screen, and How-do-you-do Doody begins. "It'southward Hullo Doody fourth dimension! It'south Howdy Doody time! Bob Smith and Howdy Do say 'Hullo Do' to you lot."

Lynn Spigel could have written a book on the powers behind boob tube – the networks, advertisers, regime regulators, producers, stars, or programs – only instead chose to look at what happened between the moment people like the Krichinskys brought home a boob tube and began to negotiate its place in the domestic environment and broader culture. This process of adaptation of a strange new media is a particularly interesting result for analysis, and information technology seems appropriate for Spigel to specifically examine the portrayal of idiot box, both in articles and advertisements, in women's dwelling house magazines. These periodicals not just helped women in item understand how to integrate and regulate the telly in the domestic sphere, but were part of what Spigel calls a "dialogical human relationship," one in which widespread discussions of television receiver every bit a medium ultimately shaped the last cultural form and role of television. Moreover, still, Spigel demonstrates that idiot box itself helped shape the Cold War nuclear family during a time which, as illustrated by Elaine Tyler May, Americans turned to the nuclear family for a sense of stability and control over a world seemingly teetering on the edge of atomic state of war. Television certainly offers refuge, but interestingly, it seems to further a process of cultural homogenization while simultaneously walling off the family from the balance of order. Spiegl besides examines the restructuring of domestic space around these new electronic hearths, noting how changes in living room article of furniture and even domestic architecture serve as indicators of the extent of adaptation and homogenization.

In Avalon, after the Krichinsky family negotiates the place of the television in their ain suburban habitation, Jules and his cousin, Izzy, open a small appliance store which begins selling idiot box sets to other families in Baltimore. Soon they can't keep enough sets in stock, and presently thereafter they open a large apparatus store in an enormous old Baltimore waterfront warehouse, complete with a whole floor of television sets. Having come up to understand the role of television set within their own homes, the Krichinsky cousins are at present exporting sets into the homes of their neighbors.

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Jul eleven, 2014 Mike Anastasia rated it actually liked it

A review for my graduate school lit class.

Spigel's volume is all about the importance of television in postwar American order. She makes several arguments for the derogation of family unit life as a outcome of its introduction into what she refers to as the 'family unit sphere,' simply she besides admits that TV made life easier for most families for things like news and national events.

Spigel'due south main argument is that television, in conjunction with national highway systems, an unprecedented postwar boom, a lar

A review for my graduate school lit class.

Spigel's book is all about the importance of television in postwar American society. She makes several arguments for the derogation of family life every bit a result of its introduction into what she refers to equally the 'family sphere,' but she besides admits that Idiot box fabricated life easier for most families for things similar news and national events.

Spigel's primary statement is that television receiver, in conjunction with national highway systems, an unprecedented postwar nail, a big number of children and opportunities afforded by the Truman Doctrine spawned American suburbanization and all of the glorious descendants we bask today. By putting information inside of homes, families were less probable to socialize outside and we less dependent upon word of rima oris.

My favorite point Lynn makes is her notion that television replaced pianos, a cornerstone of family bonding from the Victorian era through the depression. Television, according to her, replaced that cardinal entity and began to degrade babyhood interest in arts and music.

Her book isn't entirely negative, though. Spigel likewise argues that television led to enormous revenue gains and suburban job growth in areas typically dominated past agrarian lifestyles.

Our earth evolved from that one and, as we go on to rely on speedy sources of information, I fear we continue to walk the line of 50's children no longer interested in the beauty of music and sunshine.

Oh well, time for Family Guy.

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Mar eighteen, 2012 Courtney rated it really liked information technology

The volume covers a lot of data that I've already gotten from previous classes on Television, American Studies, and Women's Studies. So its a bit general simply a good jumping off point if you decide to await into more specific books regarding television and lodge. As well, not overly jargony. I give information technology a three.5/5.

Second reading:
The only thing I'd really like to add to my existing review is about the epilogue. I read up until this section without thinking about when Spigel was researching and writi

The volume covers a lot of information that I've already gotten from previous classes on Idiot box, American Studies, and Women'due south Studies. Then its a chip full general but a adept jumping off point if you decide to look into more specific books regarding telly and society. As well, not overly jargony. I give information technology a 3.v/5.

Second reading:
The only matter I'd actually like to add to my existing review is nigh the epilogue. I read up until this department without thinking about when Spigel was researching and writing the book. It becomes apparent when she says "the new machine VCR"---the source is cited 1989. The year I was born. 26 years agone. Luckily, her arguments still hold true. Though the virtual reality mention during her epilogue fabricated me express joy. It sounded similar MMORPGs or internet communities in general.

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Oct 08, 2013 Kaufmak rated it actually liked it

What is really interesting nearly Spigel'south work is that it isn't just well-nigh the programming on television, but the changes to living space that televisions brought to homes. Even more that the radio, the television became the focal point living rooms and it helped to create boosted rooms, like a family unit room and rec room. It became a way to experience the outside globe, without leaving the individual world. One has to wonder what Spigel would recall of the massive habitation theatre set ups that are avai What is really interesting about Spigel's piece of work is that it isn't but about the programming on television, but the changes to living infinite that televisions brought to homes. Even more than that the radio, the telly became the focal indicate living rooms and information technology helped to create boosted rooms, like a family unit room and rec room. It became a fashion to experience the outside world, without leaving the private globe. One has to wonder what Spigel would think of the massive home theatre set up ups that are available now.

The analysis of the actual programming is...ok. Seeing how it is xx years since the volume came out, things have changed and much of her thoughts on early television receiver were dated even in 1992. Fifty-fifty so, I tin never get plenty of the crisis of manhood stuff.

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Feb 16, 2008 Athena rated it actually liked it

Spigel identifies correspondences between popular discourses and industry practices to examine how television was naturalized every bit an everyday domestic applied science in the American suburbs in the 1950s. A thoroughly researched, well-organized, and well-written work of media and cultural history.

iii.5 stars -- While occasionally dry, this study of Television receiver'south impact upon the late 1940s/early 1950s American household is important reading. For me personally, information technology brought back memories of watching classic TV reruns with my grandmother. "I Married Joan" was a particular favorite. 3.5 stars -- While occasionally dry, this study of TV's bear upon upon the tardily 1940s/early 1950s American household is important reading. For me personally, it brought dorsum memories of watching archetype Goggle box reruns with my grandmother. "I Married Joan" was a detail favorite. ...more

November 22, 2014 Hannah rated it really liked it

An in-depth analysis of the upshot television had on the postal service-war family circumvolve. An interesting read for film students too as those interested in gender studies.

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