An example of social structure in the film is the town of Pleasantville. Big Bob, the mayor, has the most power, as he makes the rules and makes sure that the town is running smoothly, and underneath Big Bob are all the residents of Pleasantville, who must abide by the laws set forth by the mayor. Some of the key topics of this chapter are status, role, and role structure. According to Johnson, status can be defined as the position one holds in a given society; this can be a permanent or temporary position (Johnson). In the film, Big Bob’s status is mayor. A role is the collection of beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms that apply to a position holder (Johnson). Big Bob’s role as mayor is to officially speak for the government and the community as a whole. And role structure is the relationships that link statuses or entire systems to one another (Johnson). In the town of Pleasantville, there are many statuses, such as barber, cook, student, librarian, etc. They are all associated with each other, as they must fulfill their role to make sure the town runs smoothly and efficiently. Another important topic that is covered in this chapter is the family role structure. Johnson discusses the patriarchal family power structure, which was based primarily on the male ownership of land. But, everything that occurred in the family was centered on women, as they were ones who were responsible for the most productive work, such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children. Although women were the subordinates in relationship to the men, the family would not function without the woman (Johnson). The patriarchal family power structure is very apparent in the film and is substantiated when George tells his wife, “You’re going to this meeting. You’re going to put on some makeup. You’re going to be home at six o’clock every night and
An example of social structure in the film is the town of Pleasantville. Big Bob, the mayor, has the most power, as he makes the rules and makes sure that the town is running smoothly, and underneath Big Bob are all the residents of Pleasantville, who must abide by the laws set forth by the mayor. Some of the key topics of this chapter are status, role, and role structure. According to Johnson, status can be defined as the position one holds in a given society; this can be a permanent or temporary position (Johnson). In the film, Big Bob’s status is mayor. A role is the collection of beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms that apply to a position holder (Johnson). Big Bob’s role as mayor is to officially speak for the government and the community as a whole. And role structure is the relationships that link statuses or entire systems to one another (Johnson). In the town of Pleasantville, there are many statuses, such as barber, cook, student, librarian, etc. They are all associated with each other, as they must fulfill their role to make sure the town runs smoothly and efficiently. Another important topic that is covered in this chapter is the family role structure. Johnson discusses the patriarchal family power structure, which was based primarily on the male ownership of land. But, everything that occurred in the family was centered on women, as they were ones who were responsible for the most productive work, such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children. Although women were the subordinates in relationship to the men, the family would not function without the woman (Johnson). The patriarchal family power structure is very apparent in the film and is substantiated when George tells his wife, “You’re going to this meeting. You’re going to put on some makeup. You’re going to be home at six o’clock every night and