The Culture of Fatherhood in the Fifties: a Closer Look

Based on a comparative analysis of popular magazine articles, premier childrearing manuals, and prime-time television shows, this article strives to heighten our understanding of the culture of fatherhood in the fifties (1945-1960) while chronicling the textual configurations that were emerging at the time. A close reading of the materials suggests that the culture of fatherhood in the fifties was neither a simple continuation of previous patterns nor a more progressive version of what had come before, but rather a more traditional strain of patriarchal fatherhood. Also, the culture of fatherhood in the late fifties appears to have been more traditional/patriarchal than the culture of fatherhood in the early fifties. The changes, however, were not clear-cut. Different media industries manufactured a culture of fatherhood that was more textured than smooth. The patriarchal patterns in the fabric were no doubt evident, but so were the distinct threads.