1. MYP LANGUAGE & LITERATURE YEAR 5
PLEASANTVILLE
MYP LANGUAGE & LITERATURE YEAR 5

2. Introduction
Pleasantville is a satire and critique of the black-and-white "Leave it to Beaver"-era sitcoms

3. Review
Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Critique: to evaluate something in a detailed and analytical way

4. Leave it to Beaver
Many television series from the 1950s, like Leave It To Beaver gave the impression that U.S. family life was idyllic, with no serious problems.

5. TV in the 1950s
In the 1950s, there was also tight censorship on TV: no one ever cursed, and married couples always slept in separate beds.
Censorship: the practice of officially examining books, movies, TV shows, etc., and suppressing deemed unacceptable parts.

6. 1950s Ideals
Many Americans believe that the U.S. is in decline as a result of its social problems and immorality, especially when compared to the “good old days” of the 1950s when we (supposedly) were much more religious, respectful of authorities, unified in beliefs and values, etc.

7. Pleasantville
Pleasantville challenges the belief in the supposed “good old days” in several ways.

8. Allegory
Pleasantville is a powerful allegory of the Christian belief of original sin.

9. Allegory
Allegory: Allegory is a figure of speech in which abstract ideas and principles are described in terms of characters, figures, and events.
Original Sin: sin resulting from the fall of man, stemming from Adam and Eve's rebellion in Eden, namely the sin of disobedience in consuming from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

10. Pleasantville
Pleasantville reminds us that the 1950s weren’t really all that idyllic: racism, fear and violence were just as problematic as they are now.

11. Pleasantville
The film also serves to show how fears can blind us to beauty and goodness, and lead otherwise good people to commit sins.