Television Series: Leave it to Beaver

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Recommended: Representation of women in television

Leave it to Beaver was one of the most popular television series of the 1950’s where June Cleaver was the personification of a traditional wife. The show depicts a traditional family where Ward Cleaver, the father, with his wife June raise their two sons: Wally and Beaver. You giggle at the antics of their two boys as they grow up during an innocent time with problems that would seem laughable today. In the Leave it to Beaver series episodes “Teacher Comes to Dinner” and ”Teacher’s Pet” you see June take on the feminine gender role and Ward take on the masculine gender role (“Teacher Comes to Dinner” ”Teacher’s Pet”). Upon deeper analysis of both episodes you observe June gaily take on the traditional role of caretaking the family yet absent from both episodes is the reality of being a traditional wife that is women in these lives often have a limited life, no income and are mostly alone.

As a woman in a traditional role you are limited in what you can do as your job is monotonous and repetitive; however, June appears to never tire of performing her domestic duties. For example, cooking would be a role a woman would have. To shop, prepare and clean-up for every meal seven days a week three times a day for 30 years adds up to over 32,000 meals is an overwhelming thought. In the episode “Teacher Comes to Dinner,” Ward grills the meat which is an “unofficial duty of a man” when Beaver’s teacher comes to dinner while June takes on all the other responsibilities regardless of the fact that June may be better at grilling meats (“Teacher Comes to Dinner” ). Although June gets a respite from her duties when Ward grills the meat, it is unrealistic she is truly happy having to do all the cooking.

Even if your passion is domestic in nat...

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...ner.” Leave it to Beaver. Perf. Jerry Mather's. ABC. 28. Nov. 1959.

TVRAGE. Web. < http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-episodes/101741> 4 Oct. 2011.

“Teacher’s Pet.” Leave it to Beaver. Perf. Jerry Mather's. CBS. 22 Nov. 1957. TVLand. Web.

< http://www.tvland.com/video-clips/leave-it-to-beaver/teacher-s-pet> 4 Oct. 2011.

Keim, Brandon. “Solitary Confinement: The Invisible Torture.” Wired Science. 29 Apr.

2009. Web. 4 Oct. 2011.

“Teacher Comes to Dinner.” Leave it to Beaver. Perf. Jerry Mather's. ABC. 28. Nov. 1959.

TVRAGE. Web. < http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-episodes/101741> 4 Oct. 2011.

“Teacher’s Pet.” Leave it to Beaver. Perf. Jerry Mather's. CBS. 22 Nov. 1957. TVLand. Web.

< http://www.tvland.com/video-clips/leave-it-to-beaver/teacher-s-pet> 4 Oct. 2011.

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