The New Yorker: “Talk Of The Town” during WWII

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The New Yorker was launch by Harold Ross on February 21st thanks to the generous financial investment from Raoul Fleischmann who was the founder of General Baking Company (A New Yorker..). The infamous Eustace Tilley, the drawing of the man wearing a monocle, was drawn by Rea Irvin and it has sense become the face of the journal (A New Yorker..). Since The New Yorkers’ inception, “The Talk of The Town” has been a key highlight of the publication due to the raw nature of the editorial staff that contributed. During WWII, when reading “The Talk of The Town” a reader could gain insight as to what the editorial staff felt about the situation at hand and they could possibly relate to the editors on a more personal level. This in turn helped fuel the success of the journal during WWII, which prompted them to publish an overseas edition for the troops (Home Front).
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, editors and contributors spoke their minds regarding the war effort. When the first issue was published, after war was declared, it was clear that individuals’ minds were in a state of unrest. From the first notice of the attack while listening to the game or by using literature to express the feelings of their troubled mind, it is not difficult to see how “The Talk of The Town” shows the emotional side of the individuals who contributed during this time (The Talk of..). This is in turn shows the allure of “The Talk of The Town.” Not only does it inform the reader of what is going on in the world, it does so by truly connecting with the audience on an emotional level.
Furthermore, The United States entered WWII on December 8th 1941 in response to Japans attack on Pearl Harbor December 7th 1941. The first issue of The New Yorker was printed o...

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...s. Lastly, it showed that the individuals who wrote for The New Yorker were not just authors, poets, or cartoonists. They were people with hopes, dreams, and frustrations just like the rest of the nation and they used “The Talk of The Town” to let their voice be heard in a way that was more appealing to many individuals who subscribed during this time and continue to do so today.

Works Cited

"A New Yorker Timeline : The New Yorker." The New Yorker. Condé Nast, n.d. Web.
08 Apr. 2014.
Cowles, Edward Spencer. Don't Be Afraid! How to Get Rid of Fear and Fatigue. New
York: Whittlesey House, 1941. Print.
"Home Front - The New Yorker - Overseas Edition - World War II Archives of
Wartime Publications." Wartime Press. Ed. Dave and Irek. WarTime Press, n.d.
Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
"The Talk of The Town." The New Yorker 13 Dec. 1941: 21. The New Yorker. Web. 08
Apr. 2014.

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