Amusing The Million Analysis

Reflection upon Which the Vast Cultural Changes, First, by Developments at
Coney Island and Later by the Rising Popularity of Rock’N’Roll Music.
The history that is presented in both books, Amusing the Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the Century by John Kasson and All Shook Up: How Rock’n’Roll Changed America by Glenn Altschuler, are very compelling documents that explain how these two eras have changed the course of history. John Kasson argues that the amusement parks of the 1890’s up till the start of WWI had an adverse effect on the culture surrounding it. Glen Altschuler argued that rock’n’roll adversely affected culture, race, sexuality, generational conflict, and gender. Although, both books had a cultural gap between them,

they both faced some form of resistance to change that had incessant remonstration from the culture of its time as well as the efforts of individuals and groups to resist.

In Kasson’s Amusing the Million, the forms of resistance were not race related, however, were geared more towards social class and cultural norms. The parks, Coney Island more specifically, created a lifestyle in society as well as a change in morals and attitudes. Kasson stated that, “a self conscious elite of critics, ministers, educators, and reformers, drawn principally from the Protestant middle class of the urban Northeast,” made up the genteel reformers. (Kasson, p.4) These genteel reformers believed that life should be constructive as well as Victorian virtues maintained. Parks in the beginning were a result of the Victorian virtues they were created to allow constructive leisure for the middle class. The closest thing to a park during this point was New York’s Central Park and Chicago’s Columbian Exposition. The park was created for the middle class industrial workers. (Kasson, p.11) Politicians in New York, against the design of genteel reformers,

made plans to use the park for “firework displays, merry-go-rounds, and baseball fields…” (Kasson, p.16) Kasson shed light on this through a statement about Central Park. “Central Park reflected a conflict in conceptions of culture and urban recreation that would become increasingly apparent toward the end of the nineteenth century.” (Kasson, p.17) The Columbian Exposition, also known as the “White City,” was a place to display the genteel reformers appearance of what a city might be. (Kasson, p.19) The public was left with a feeling of disappointment; however, the Midway sideshow exhibited the exotic wonders of the world gained the attention of the public. These two examples explained the desires of the public for more than what the genteel reformers were offering. This led to a society that was thirsty for more amusement. The people craved more, and Coney Island gave them more than they could possibly imagine.
Coney Island had three parks that were separate from each other which were Luna Park, Steeplechase, and Dreamland.

(Kasson, p.34) Coney Island had a “lack” of clothing that would be very modest in today’s standards nevertheless, at the time was considered not acceptable to the norms of genteel reformers. Kassan illustrated two photos that showed how these “loosely” clothed beach goers are in one photo in their leisure time. The other photo showed them dressed in their day to day life, the Victorian life. (Kasson, p.44-45) Kasson stated that, “Coney Island signaled the rise of a new mass culture no longer deferential to genteel tastes and values, which demanded democratic resort of its own.” (Kasson,

p.50)
Amusement was brought to Coney Island and required attention that the working middle class was looking for. Rides brought and forced men and women to develop a closer bond to one another. The rides that brought couples beyond the personal courtship bubble, included rides such as Coney Island Scenic Railray and the Tickler. Men and women no longer courted according to the genteel reformers; nevertheless, they would meet at the parks and go on dates.
Negative comments were made about the events taking place at the parks. James Gibbons Hunekee, a critic, states that, “…for when you are at Coney you cast aside your hampering reason and become a plain lunatic.” (Kasson, p.96) American Sociologist, Edward A. Ross, was quoted saying, “To be heard; one shouts. To be seen, one does not simply show one’s self; one gesticulates.” (Kasson, p.97) Some of the urban reformers wanted to see Coney Island reduced to nothing more than a public park. Parents felt that they were losing their children morals and values that they had taught them. Reformers wanted to restore order at the youth level with government regulations and professional supervision. Children, at the time, had undisciplined play and the reformers wished this type of play would become a directed recreation to create building blocks for this culture. In hopes the amusement would be abandoned. (Kasson, p.101-103) By the time reforms handled the situation, it became a nationwide epidemic and desired by the working class of America.
In Altschuler’s All Shook Up, the baby boom was taking its toll on American culture. This culture became immersed with parents that were opposed to rock’n’roll. The rise of the amusement parks, such as Coney Island, was the last time a society was faced with adverse effects on the culture of the United States. These parents attempted to subdue the teen’s misuse of rock’n’roll through letters from themselves and anti-rock’n’roll organizations had became an avenue to suppress it. Teens were asked, by Remmers and Radler, what they want and “Teenagers desperately want to break away from parental control, yet, at the same time, they feel a strong need for parental guidance.” (Altschuler, p. 104) Rock’n’roll was seen as an avenue for the youth to frolic at venues and “let loose” causing fights and carnage. The United States Military was feeling the effects of rock’n’roll as well. The military did not want to state that the fights resulted due to racial tension; however, it was ruled that it was due to the “frenzied tempo” of the music. (Altschuler, p. 4) Newspapers had wrote a number of articles proclaiming the dangers of rock’n’roll. Time Magazine stated that the commitment to music artist “bear passing resemblance to Hitler’s mass meeting.” (Altschuler, p. 6) Over-thirty generations of whites detested rock’n’roll due to its black roots in rhythm and blues. Rhythm and blues were known for its strong sexual lyrics and language with the body as well as verbally.
Racial resistance was rampant and led to a number of issues. Resistance became heightened after the Brown v. Board of Education verdict because adult whites were opposed to any integration. The largest resistance was that whites did not want their children listening to any form of black music including the whites that sounded as if they were black. The white parents did not approve of the teens listening to Pop as well as rhythm and blues because of the fear of the teens becoming integrated with black culture. For African Americans, this became a blessing. Segregation at music venues become integrated because the language lured in the teens that were sexually charged. Nat King Cole performed at a whites-only venue only to be attacked by members of the Alabama Citizens Council. This attack was blamed on the “jungle music” and pictures of “Cole and his white women.” (Altschuler, p. 39) Considering the popularity of black music and the resistance for hearing blacks on the radio, DJ’s began a campaign by taking songs from black artists giving them to white artist like Elvis Presley to be heard by the white population. (Altschuler, p. 73) Had this not happened, the rock’n’roll movement would have possible died out.
Elvis Presley would incite resistance because of his sexual gestures. Ann Fulchino, of Presley’s label, accredited that he was “the equivalent of a male strip teaser, with the exception that he doesn’t take his clothes off.” (Altschuler, p. 87) Sexual behavior became something new outside the religious covenants. Teenagers were having premarital sex with partners; however, not always with whom they had committed to marry. The Government was making contraceptive available, as well penicillin; however, this was making it harder for the parents’ and their authority weaker. (Altschuler, p.67) Attempts were made to censor rock’n’roll with Pat Boones book Twixt Twelve and Twenty. Dick Clark made rock’n’roll acceptable on American Bandstand with the forms of dancing that were allowed along with the censored music selection. Having Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show proved that the actions of this performer and the response from the Ed Sullivan Show’s staff, raising the camera above his waist as he began to shake, displayed how well the censorship worked. However, when parents began allowing their children to watch Jerry Lewis as he “raped his piano” (Altschuler, p. 96) they essentially allowed all that they had worked hard for to slip away. Due to rock’n’roll slipping under the radar with Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis, a sexual liberation had began with the approval of contraceptive by the FDA in May 1960. (Altschuler, p. 98) Altschuler ended his chapter on sexuality stating, “Baby boomers carried into the 1960’s the complex and contradictory sexual messages of the formative ‘50s, during which ‘there was a whole lotta shakin’ going on.” (Altschuler, p. 98)
Both books have displayed how the cultures surrounding these two events have been able to adapt on both sides of the argument. Society has found a compromise that makes both parties happy to an extent. They both met resistance to change, by similar reform groups, but encounter the resistance in much different severities. Society could have possibly followed history of other countries had the Government met the population with resistance to these movements. One can only wonder how America would be if the genteel reformers would have received a more positive response from the American population. Also, the country could have become worse off had the genteel reformers not been there to enforce the generational ethics.