A Mad Men guide to dealing with assassination –
Major historical events constantly appear throughout Mad
Men, notably through the two major assassinations of the era – JFK in 1963 and
then MLK in 1968. It is not so much the assassinations that are the storyline,
but more the reaction of the characters. Was the reactions of different
characters purposely used to show the feelings of society when these events
occurred?
Donald Draper:
How does Mad Men think white, wealthy men would have reacted
to the death of MLK in 1968? By drinking of course! Draper follows all
stereotypes of the alcoholic rich, male we like to remember from the 60’s.
Within the storyline, Don refuses to pick up his children,
as he does not want to drive through Harlem. This has reference to a real
events taking place in between April 4 – 5 1968 following the death of MLK, in
which although violence was mostly avoided, there was an element of fear shown
through the public.
Don’s character mentioning this topic is interesting
although as it is only the white, wealthy alcoholic that seems worried about
himself during these events. This paints a picture of the selfish nature of
American males. Although they have such a better situation than others do, they
are presented as so driven and self-centred that they cannot understand the
surrounding around them. Mad Men’s few black actors are ignored by Don as he
sees himself and his problems as far superior, arguing that society placed him
in this position because of the divide within society.
Joan and Peggy:
They seem to recognise the wider social implications this
murder had, JFK was one man, MLK was not, he represented a whole race, and
something the narrow-minded American alcoholic would not take the time to
understand.
Both characters embrace Dawn (Don’s African-American
secretary) following the assassination. It is noteworthy that she works
regardless of this tragedy, even though following JFK’s death the office
closed, although MLK was not president, it does show the difference in
allowances. This embrace is awkward, physically showing their understanding of
how she was affected, and that although they are not sure of how to react they
know they must show compassion, vastly different to Don’s reaction – or lack of
one!
Bobby Draper:
What could a child’s reaction bring to this analysis?
Throughout Mad Men, the common conception that children ‘are
seen and not heard’ is followed, so when Bobby speaks to a black usher after
leaving the theatre with Don, he shows absolute compassion, assuring the usher
that although he has been to the cinema he is still sad, just this is how he
copes with it.
Corruption of the American dream is a theory that the
wealthy American elite are ruined through their actions to reach the dream they
desire. Bobby presents a character free from corruption, a witness to his
father’s wrong doings, but too young to act upon his lack of teachings. This is
used to show a growing understanding that children were not as irrelevant as
their position in the family household. Assumptions are made that women have a
much more maternal instinct than males, so by reconstructing this scene
throughout memory it is assumed that women would console Dawn, and have
sympathy or the African-American community, as it is how we imagine women to
be, using memory from our own thought process.
(date accessed 23th November 2017)
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