Mad Men Character Analysis

The contemporary values and attitudes established by a society is a malleable topic that evolves throughout history. Created by Matthew Weiner, the critically acclaimed period drama, Mad Men, follows the personal and professional life of New York advertising executive Don Draper, as he experiences the changing social mores of the United States during the 1960’s. Mad Men presents bygone values and attitudes that were once thought as commonplace during the 1960’s. The African and Jewish American characters are not held to the same standards as the majority of white characters. The value of the traditional, nuclear family and the harrowing attitude towards the life of a housewife is expressed in the show. The promiscuous and deceitful attitude

towards females in relationships and the values of patriarchy in the workplace are enforced through the show.

Overtones of racist attitudes towards African Americans are often expressed in Mad Men. Through the characterisation common business clients, prejudices against the African American community prevents logical business decisions from being made. After accepting Admiral television’s request to increase sales, Pete Campbell reviews their sales records and discovers their popularity in the African American community and the low cost of advertising that comes with that market. Campbell pitches his idea to allocate the majority of their marketing budget to the African American community. The company refuses to accept this idea and Campbell is scorned by his bosses, being told that “Admiral television has no interest in becoming a coloured television company.” This suggests that financially rewarding business decisions are overlooked when racial integration is involved. It also implies that the public would not tolerate this type of advertising. In addition Admiral’s refusal to advertise their products to non-whites, their usage of the archaic and derogatory term ‘coloured’, further supports the racist attitudes expressed in Mad Men. In modern western society, Campbell’s decision would be implemented immediately, as the works of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped integrate races and revoke public stigmas against such actions.

In addition to an aversion to racial integration, Weiner further solidifies the value of white supremacy by incorporating an anti-Semitic attitude in Don’s characterisation and dialogue. During a light-hearted conversation before a meeting with the head of a Jewish department store Roger Sterling visits Don and asks if their advertising company, Sterling Cooper, had any Jewish employees, a decision intended to make the client more comfortable. Oblivious to his future client and Sterling’s intentions, Don looks at Sterling with a steely demeanour and replies “Not on my watch.” Not only do the businesses in Mad Men refuse to associate themselves with African Americans, they will also reject any potential Jewish employees. It is also implied that if a Jewish individual were to be employed by Sterling Cooper, Don will do whatever he can to terminate that person. Although the show takes place during the 1960’s, a subtle hint of Nazism is set in Don’s mind. It is also known that Don is old enough to have lived through World War II, meaning he must have heard of the mistreatment and genocide of Jewish groups and other minorities. The fact that Don and Sterling despise Jewish people, but will still do business with them for financial rewards, emphasises their anti-Semitic attitudes, though tolerant of their existence. The racist and anti-Semitic attitudes expressed towards different members of society in Mad Men further supports the value of white supremacy in the 1960’s era.

The value of the traditional, nuclear family is expressed by American society over all other family structures.

This is conveyed through the characterisation and dialogue of the housewives. During one of their frequent gossips, Francine Hanson tells Betty Draper of their new neighbour, Helen Bishop. Hanson goes on to say that their new neighbour is “divorced” with a “nine year old boy and a baby,” to which Betty looks down in pity and says “that’s awful”. Although Helen is never visible disturbed by her marital status or by the absence of a father figure for her children, society, or rather gossiping housewives, will criticise those with different and seemingly troubled family structures. Don’s disheartened facial expression shows her pity on both Bishop and her children, personifying society’s belief that a non-nuclear family structure would cause them to be at a disadvantage in life. In a contemporary western society, nuclear families are still valued, but alternative family structures, including those with a single mother, are no longer condemned to the same

extent.

Although the society depicted in Mad Men express the value for a traditional nuclear family, a harrowing attitude towards life is adopted by the housewives as they live their sheltered and mundane lives. This is seen through Betty’s dialogue. During a visit with her psychiatrist, Betty talks about the events that led to her engagement. Betty’s sorrow increases as she reveals her life after marriage. Seeing no purpose in married life, she asks herself if she should “just sit and smoke and let it go until [I’m] in a box?” Having to fulfil the same tedious tasks for her family while simultaneously being confined in the suburbs and being denied adequate stimulus, it would make sense that Betty would develop a harrowing attitude towards life. Given that Betty revealed this in a private setting and the fact that she conceals this persona elsewhere suggests that Betty and other housewives are forced by society to be the passive housemaids of the family. In a contemporary western society, raising children and doing housework is not expected to be the sole purpose of a woman, as they are encouraged to have their own lives and pursue their careers and interests at their will. The value of a traditional, nuclear family and a tedious lifestyle that ultimately brings a harrowing attitude towards life is expressed in the show.

Perhaps the most enduring plot device in Mad Men is that married men will stray out of their exclusive relationships and engage in intimate relations with multiple women, highlighting their promiscuous and deceitful attitude towards women. This is best seen in Don through the construction of plot, characterisation, and dialogue. Throughout the series, it is established that Don has had multiple extramarital affairs, despite a supposedly monogamous relationship with his wife. Don’s insatiable sexual desires endure even when he is confronted by his Betty. After being told of Don’s affairs with a business client, Betty confronts Don, telling him he does what he does because “[he] can’t help [himself]” while Don continues to deny his involvement. The traditional and contemporary view on marriage is that a man should devote himself to his wife and must never indulge the temptations of others. Don clearly subverts from this viewpoint as seen from the existence of his mistresses, and his resilience to deny such actions to his own wife solidifies his deceitful attitude towards women. In addition to lying to his wife, Don also disregards his wife’s distress and continues to have extramarital affairs just to satisfy his sexual desires.

In addition to betraying the sanctity of marriage, Mad Men also belittles women by restricting the career opportunities in the workplace, expressing the values of patriarchy in the workplace. This is constructed through plot and facial expressions. The Sterling Cooper advertising company consistently portrays women in stereotypical secretarial roles. An exception would be Joan Holloway when she is asked by the television department to be the head of broadcast operations. Enjoying her work and working with her clients, her position is quickly taken by a newly hired man who is “going to be in charge of broadcast operations.” Not only does the company show little value for women performing the same jobs as men, they will openly replace them without any signs of remorse, further supporting the value for patriarchy in the workplace. Joan is visibly distraught upon hearing the news, as seen when her joyous smile fades and her face stiffens to hide her despair and rage. Her mood is completely overlooked by her former boss, and she is forced to go back to being the head secretary. In a contemporary western society, the human resources department of an office would increase the number of women in executive roles in order to adhere to the feminist movement regarding employment developed in the late 20th century and early 21st century. Mad Men expresses deceitful attitudes towards females through consistent signs of extramarital affairs and also expresses the patriarchal values in the workplace.

Through the creation of Mad Men, Weiner presents an opportunity for contemporary viewers to contrast society’s values and attitudes with those accepted in the 1960’s period.

The racist and anti-Semitic attitudes towards minorities mirrors the archaic white supremacist values that are no longer tolerated in a contemporary, western society. The value of the traditional, nuclear family and highlighting the harrowing attitude that comes with the monotonous lifestyle of a housewife showcases the once accepted values and attitudes. The promiscuous and deceitful attitude expressed in relationships and the patriarchal values in the workplace has showcased society’s blatant mistreatment of women. The contrast between the values and attitudes once expressed during the 1960’s era and the contemporary outlook shows how society has matured over the years, leaving an audience to question what underlying taboos could be uncovered in the

future.