We can see subculture beginning to be featured in Dobie Gillis. How was this evidenced in the episode we viewed?How might either Dobie's or Maynard's masculinities be considered non-normative? Feel free to compare the two characters.
I thought the episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis was very interesting because it was a departure from the homogenous behavior and culture of the 1950s. As demonstrated by Dobie’s beatnik friend Maynard, not everyone has the same opportunities in life. Maynard kept getting kicked out of places the whole episode partly because he didn’t have any money to spend at those places. For example, he seemed to have a habit of “borrowing” records from the record shop rather than buying anything. At the ice cream parlor, he only plays the piano rather than buying ice cream. This also shows that after the 1950s, not everyone had the appearance of living the same lifestyle as everyone else. Maynard got kicked out of the ice cream parlor because the owner didn’t like him playing jazz music, which seemed to be considered too progressive at the time. So there wasn’t a complete separation from the homogenous ‘50s, but this program depicts the very beginning of a more varied culture.
I think it’s also interesting to look at the contrast between Dobie and Maynard. Dobie seems to be very clean cut and has very romanticized views about the world and the girls he wants to date. On the other hand, Maynard having a beard and wearing his dirty, ragged sweatshirt all the time shows that he is definitely not clean cut. His perception of the world appears simpler than Dobie’s. Maynard also uses a lot of slang, punctuating all his sentences with “like.” This program clearly shows the beginnings of some variety under the umbrella of teen culture.
I really like this idea of mass-culture demonstrated in the episode. This episode stood out to me for very similar reasons. The jazz music, for example, is something that is something that I need to actively put into a context. For me Jazz music is just a powerful style of quieter music that certain bands play. However, the meaning of Jazz in this time period was much more challenging and aggressive than the statement that it makes today.
I think that your argument that The Many Loves of Dobbie Gillis separating itself from homogenous television through the use of incorporating many identities is really insightful. I couldn't tell if the producers/writers of the show were trying to make social justice statements, but I definitely felt that the TV show reflected the culture of the time period in a much broader sense than many of the homogenous TV shows that we have watched in class.
I found this episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis interesting because while it did represent a departure from the standard sitcom, it still offered a lesson at the end of the program. Where a traditional sitcom may have depicted a family coming together or bonding over the events in the program, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis depicted Maynard and his family's difficulties and the Krebs' desire for space and time apart from their son.
In the episode, Maynard comes to believe that he has been drafted and the school and shop owners that once shunned him realize how much they're going to miss him. However, later in the episode he realizes that he wasn't drafted and only classified in the drafting system. Out of fear of telling his classmates that he wasn't drafted after they had bought him going away presents, Maynard asks his parents if they will consent to him joining the army. Wanting a break from Maynard, they of course agree rapidly and confidently.
Despite their confidence that they wanted Maynard out of the home, the Krebs' are shown to be missing him when Dobie visits them after Maynard's departure. Even though it is reached through a non-traditional means by showing the struggles of the family rather than the ideal family, the program ends with the lesson that it is important to appreciate those that you have around you.
I think you raise an important point about this show's normative non-normativity (if that makes sense). I agree that Maynard's actions represent many subcultures of the time, and his relationships with people like the shop owners reflect that sentiment. However, I think its important to note that this moral lesson seems to be characteristic of many TV shows even in this time period. For example The Honeymooners episode that we watched had a whole moral component of getting along with your neighbor (along with the corporate value of buying your own televisions). The Burns and Allen sketch with the scratched car discussed honesty in relationships. I feel that the normative structure of building up to this moral message at the end of the episode combined with the non-normative inclusivity of different cultures in the program was a very progressive way to make this type of cultural inclusivity less-progressive. In other words, I think that the structure of the TV show and the inclusion of these cultures that the different characters represent acted as a normalizing force to make this representation more common in television at the time.
I like that you touched on how this episode differs from the "standard sitcom," but still ended with an underlying life lesson: appreciate the company around you. With that said, I wanted to bring up the message or lesson that I believe the show conveyed as well.
Maynard and his smelly, torn up sweater was never wanted by anyone; characters within the show, such as his professor, evidently was not particularly fond of Maynard. However, like you had mentioned, these characters that once expressed their animosity towards him suddenly treated him with respect and kindness after Dobie announces that Maynard had been drafted. The professor quickly changes the class assignment and has each of his students write a paragraph on why they'll miss Maynard - he also did not assign any other homework to Maynard, which appeared to be uncommon!
Furthermore, the characters, even Dobie, appeared to always underestimate Maynard and his capabilities. Therefore, although it was nice of his professor to direct the class' attention on Maynard before he left, it was almost as if he was preparing everyone to say their final goodbye. In other words, the professor did not believe that Maynard had the audacity to survive in the army.
With that said, it was a huge shock to Dobie when he went to visit Maynard. Maynard was leading a group of soldiers in a march and even had each soldier shave their facial hair the same way his was. Evidently, the tables had turned for Maynard when he went to the army; he was no longer the runt of the community, but a leader.
Therefore, I believe that the show is also portraying another important life lesson: never underestimate or treat others with disrespect because you never know when life can you prove you wrong! Overall, it is important to look for the good in everyone and to always treat others the way you would like to be treated.
In the episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis there are two main characters Maynard and Dobie. The two characters are very different and show us what the subcultures were like at the time. Dobie was a very romantic type person much more than the average person I believe. He would be slightly over the top making him a little different. On the other hand Maynard wasn't in the same department as Dobie. While Dobie was a clean shaven romantic Maynard was a scruffy guy with beard. Maynard is shown as kind of a loner in the show. He doesn't really have the confidence in the people around to open up with them. We see this when he thinks he becomes drafted then soon finds out he wasn't. After he already told everyone that he was drafted he feels embarrassed to tell everyone.
We can see subculture beginning to form in the episode of Dobie Gillis based on the individualities of the certain characters as opposed to the homogenized individualities of 1950's television. Maynard is an especially interesting individual as evidenced by the teacher stating something along the lines of, "There has never been anyone like Maynard, nor will there ever be anyone like Maynard." His persona and the dynamic of his family departure greatly from the 1950's TV style. His parents hate him and aren't afraid of showing it. The dirty rags he wears, his "stoned" personality, and his monetary problems show the beginnings of the beatnik culture. In fact, I see Dobie and Maynard characters as two conflicting subcultures. Dobie seems to exemplify the clean cut, goody-two-shoes of the 1950's while Maynard exemplifies the beatnik culture to come. The culture in Dobie Gillis is seemingly 1950's and I think the main reason Maynard doesn't fit in is because he represents the budding subculture of the 60's while Dobie and his other classmates represent the fading subculture of the 1950's. The episode of Dobie Gillis almost seemed to be a critique of the beatnik subculture. The dominant 1950's culture of the episode opposed Maynard's beatnik persona. Though the people in the episode praised Maynard's individuality, they only did so because Maynard was headed to the army, the very embodiment of conformity. So it seems that the entirety of the episode was the wish of the 1950's culture dominated episode to root out the budding culture of the 60's and send them to the army to normalize them.
In The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, there are two friends, Dobie and Maynard, who represent two different types of men in the 1950s. To put in frankly, Dobie Gillis is the stereotypical “square” of 1950s America. He looks like the perfect high school quarterback, with his broad shoulders, blonde clean-cut hair, and put together sweater set. He does things by the book and is an all-around good guy that everyone seems to like a lot. He also expresses interest in cute girls and exudes masculinity and dependability. To me, Maynard was the much more interesting character. He seems to be an attempt by the writers to represent the beatnik subculture that was starting in the 1950s. Compared to Dobie, Maynard has a slighter physical stature, dirty and worn clothes, and shaggy, unwashed hair. Maynard is much more interested in jazz and fun than school work and responsibility. Instead of chasing girls or playing sports, Maynard sits in his room playing bongos and using slang like “rad” and calling people “Daddio”. In one scene in the episode aired in class, we see him get kicked out of a restaurant for young people because he is playing a jazz song too manically and upsetting the uptight patrons. It seems like Maynard’s ways are rejected by most people in the show.
Dobie and Maynard are both able to represent the beginnings of subculture in television.
Maynard is not at all a traditionally masculine character. This is evident in almost everything he does. He is not very well-dressed and appears to possess poor hygiene. This can be seen in his main piece of clothing - his tattered sweatshirt, which is referenced by the characters on the show. He likes music that other people of the time don't, which is seen when he gets kicked out of the ice cream parlor. His obsession with his music and his constant playing of the bongos in his room can also be seen as a representation of the counter culture. His grammar reflects that of what I imagine a stereotypical hippie's grammar to be. In that time period, I would argue, there had been "noone like Maynard" presented on television before.
Dobie is definitely the more masculine of the two characters, however I would argue that Dobie isn't necessarily masculine in the traditional sense. On one hand, he is a good looking, well-fashioned man, but he doesn't possess the assertiveness that I think a more traditionally masculine character might have. At the beginning of the episode, it's revealed that he is trying to ask out a girl by having Maynard give her a letter. I can't see a really traditionally masculine figure asking a girl out by sending a letter through a friend. A more masculine figure would take a direct approach. Also, while it's not seen in the episode, Dobie is a character that is constantly falling hopelessly in love with new girls. While this is probably realistic of a typical American teenager, it's not necessarily a trait that would be seen in a more masculine, dominant character.
In The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis we can see subcultures beginning to be featured on popular television, however, they are featured in a way that is almost cartoonish. Dobie Gillis presents characters like beatnik Maynard as a caricature of a persona that was fairly relevant in popular culture at that point in time. Of course, the show in and of itself is gimmicky and campy (for example, Maynard using the word “like” multiple times in each sentence), however the presentation of subcultures remains as individuals, not as groups. Meaning that the subcultures featured are seen as an individual character, and that character embodies that subculture, as opposed to a group of people being seen as that classification. I think the show tried to feature Dobie as the “All-American” type that could appeal to everyone which provided a stark contrast from Maynard. The episode that we watched in screening followed Maynard speaking to a whole cast of characters throughout the town who rejected him, his family included. Maynard, after announcing that he has been drafted to the army, is only then accepted and acknowledged. The moral compass guiding The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis can also been seen in the fact that the show starts and ends with direct address monologues from Dobie summing up the moral of the show, thus Dobie acts as the moral standard for American teenagers at that point in time.
As television progressed and evolved over the years, it began to develop different facets and cater to different demographics. So naturally, subcultures made their way onto television as well. This is evidenced in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis in the masculinity of Dobie and Maynard. I would say that Maynard was presented as unexpectedly masculine and Dobie was portrayed as deceptively masculine. Dobie seems to be the ideal American boy. He is good-looking, clean, well dressed, confident, and personable. Even at the beginning of the episode, Dobie is shown copying the pose of a large, masculine marble statue. This gives an association between Dobie and masculinity. Then his encounter with Maynard about the note reveals that he chooses not to address a girl directly but rather through a note. That is the chink in his masculine armor. As the episode goes on we discover he cares about Maynard and even gives a sentimental speech about him. That is another instance of breaking the stereotype of masculinity at that time. It is interesting, though, because that sentimental characteristic makes Dobie layered, complex, and a precursor for modern masculinity. Maynard on the other hand is immediately shown as the antithesis of Dobie and his projected masculinity. Maynard is grungy, uncertain, and goofy. He is not well tolerated by anyone no matter how hard he tries. He is also not very assertive or skilled socially, which were both important to masculinity during that time. But then when he enlists in the army everything changes. The army itself is a very masculine establishment and Maynard joining seems like an extreme contrast. However, when he does join he flourishes and even becomes a leader of a group in the army. Thereby, he demonstrates the masculinity he had in him all along. It could be argued that title of most masculine between Dobie and Maynard switches from the beginning of the episode to the end.
I thought the episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis was very interesting because it was a departure from the homogenous behavior and culture of the 1950s. As demonstrated by Dobie’s beatnik friend Maynard, not everyone has the same opportunities in life. Maynard kept getting kicked out of places the whole episode partly because he didn’t have any money to spend at those places. For example, he seemed to have a habit of “borrowing” records from the record shop rather than buying anything. At the ice cream parlor, he only plays the piano rather than buying ice cream. This also shows that after the 1950s, not everyone had the appearance of living the same lifestyle as everyone else. Maynard got kicked out of the ice cream parlor because the owner didn’t like him playing jazz music, which seemed to be considered too progressive at the time. So there wasn’t a complete separation from the homogenous ‘50s, but this program depicts the very beginning of a more varied culture.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s also interesting to look at the contrast between Dobie and Maynard. Dobie seems to be very clean cut and has very romanticized views about the world and the girls he wants to date. On the other hand, Maynard having a beard and wearing his dirty, ragged sweatshirt all the time shows that he is definitely not clean cut. His perception of the world appears simpler than Dobie’s. Maynard also uses a lot of slang, punctuating all his sentences with “like.” This program clearly shows the beginnings of some variety under the umbrella of teen culture.
I really like this idea of mass-culture demonstrated in the episode. This episode stood out to me for very similar reasons. The jazz music, for example, is something that is something that I need to actively put into a context. For me Jazz music is just a powerful style of quieter music that certain bands play. However, the meaning of Jazz in this time period was much more challenging and aggressive than the statement that it makes today.
DeleteI think that your argument that The Many Loves of Dobbie Gillis separating itself from homogenous television through the use of incorporating many identities is really insightful. I couldn't tell if the producers/writers of the show were trying to make social justice statements, but I definitely felt that the TV show reflected the culture of the time period in a much broader sense than many of the homogenous TV shows that we have watched in class.
I found this episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis interesting because while it did represent a departure from the standard sitcom, it still offered a lesson at the end of the program. Where a traditional sitcom may have depicted a family coming together or bonding over the events in the program, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis depicted Maynard and his family's difficulties and the Krebs' desire for space and time apart from their son.
ReplyDeleteIn the episode, Maynard comes to believe that he has been drafted and the school and shop owners that once shunned him realize how much they're going to miss him. However, later in the episode he realizes that he wasn't drafted and only classified in the drafting system. Out of fear of telling his classmates that he wasn't drafted after they had bought him going away presents, Maynard asks his parents if they will consent to him joining the army. Wanting a break from Maynard, they of course agree rapidly and confidently.
Despite their confidence that they wanted Maynard out of the home, the Krebs' are shown to be missing him when Dobie visits them after Maynard's departure. Even though it is reached through a non-traditional means by showing the struggles of the family rather than the ideal family, the program ends with the lesson that it is important to appreciate those that you have around you.
I think you raise an important point about this show's normative non-normativity (if that makes sense). I agree that Maynard's actions represent many subcultures of the time, and his relationships with people like the shop owners reflect that sentiment. However, I think its important to note that this moral lesson seems to be characteristic of many TV shows even in this time period. For example The Honeymooners episode that we watched had a whole moral component of getting along with your neighbor (along with the corporate value of buying your own televisions). The Burns and Allen sketch with the scratched car discussed honesty in relationships. I feel that the normative structure of building up to this moral message at the end of the episode combined with the non-normative inclusivity of different cultures in the program was a very progressive way to make this type of cultural inclusivity less-progressive. In other words, I think that the structure of the TV show and the inclusion of these cultures that the different characters represent acted as a normalizing force to make this representation more common in television at the time.
DeleteJohn,
DeleteI like that you touched on how this episode differs from the "standard sitcom," but still ended with an underlying life lesson: appreciate the company around you. With that said, I wanted to bring up the message or lesson that I believe the show conveyed as well.
Maynard and his smelly, torn up sweater was never wanted by anyone; characters within the show, such as his professor, evidently was not particularly fond of Maynard. However, like you had mentioned, these characters that once expressed their animosity towards him suddenly treated him with respect and kindness after Dobie announces that Maynard had been drafted. The professor quickly changes the class assignment and has each of his students write a paragraph on why they'll miss Maynard - he also did not assign any other homework to Maynard, which appeared to be uncommon!
Furthermore, the characters, even Dobie, appeared to always underestimate Maynard and his capabilities. Therefore, although it was nice of his professor to direct the class' attention on Maynard before he left, it was almost as if he was preparing everyone to say their final goodbye. In other words, the professor did not believe that Maynard had the audacity to survive in the army.
With that said, it was a huge shock to Dobie when he went to visit Maynard. Maynard was leading a group of soldiers in a march and even had each soldier shave their facial hair the same way his was. Evidently, the tables had turned for Maynard when he went to the army; he was no longer the runt of the community, but a leader.
Therefore, I believe that the show is also portraying another important life lesson: never underestimate or treat others with disrespect because you never know when life can you prove you wrong! Overall, it is important to look for the good in everyone and to always treat others the way you would like to be treated.
In the episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis there are two main characters Maynard and Dobie.
ReplyDeleteThe two characters are very different and show us what the subcultures were like at the time. Dobie was a very romantic type person much more than the average person I believe. He would be slightly over the top making him a little different. On the other hand Maynard wasn't in the same department as Dobie. While Dobie was a clean shaven romantic Maynard was a scruffy guy with beard. Maynard is shown as kind of a loner in the show. He doesn't really have the confidence in the people around to open up with them. We see this when he thinks he becomes drafted then soon finds out he wasn't. After he already told everyone that he was drafted he feels embarrassed to tell everyone.
We can see subculture beginning to form in the episode of Dobie Gillis based on the individualities of the certain characters as opposed to the homogenized individualities of 1950's television. Maynard is an especially interesting individual as evidenced by the teacher stating something along the lines of, "There has never been anyone like Maynard, nor will there ever be anyone like Maynard." His persona and the dynamic of his family departure greatly from the 1950's TV style. His parents hate him and aren't afraid of showing it. The dirty rags he wears, his "stoned" personality, and his monetary problems show the beginnings of the beatnik culture. In fact, I see Dobie and Maynard characters as two conflicting subcultures. Dobie seems to exemplify the clean cut, goody-two-shoes of the 1950's while Maynard exemplifies the beatnik culture to come. The culture in Dobie Gillis is seemingly 1950's and I think the main reason Maynard doesn't fit in is because he represents the budding subculture of the 60's while Dobie and his other classmates represent the fading subculture of the 1950's. The episode of Dobie Gillis almost seemed to be a critique of the beatnik subculture. The dominant 1950's culture of the episode opposed Maynard's beatnik persona. Though the people in the episode praised Maynard's individuality, they only did so because Maynard was headed to the army, the very embodiment of conformity. So it seems that the entirety of the episode was the wish of the 1950's culture dominated episode to root out the budding culture of the 60's and send them to the army to normalize them.
ReplyDeleteIn The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, there are two friends, Dobie and Maynard, who represent two different types of men in the 1950s. To put in frankly, Dobie Gillis is the stereotypical “square” of 1950s America. He looks like the perfect high school quarterback, with his broad shoulders, blonde clean-cut hair, and put together sweater set. He does things by the book and is an all-around good guy that everyone seems to like a lot. He also expresses interest in cute girls and exudes masculinity and dependability.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Maynard was the much more interesting character. He seems to be an attempt by the writers to represent the beatnik subculture that was starting in the 1950s. Compared to Dobie, Maynard has a slighter physical stature, dirty and worn clothes, and shaggy, unwashed hair. Maynard is much more interested in jazz and fun than school work and responsibility. Instead of chasing girls or playing sports, Maynard sits in his room playing bongos and using slang like “rad” and calling people “Daddio”. In one scene in the episode aired in class, we see him get kicked out of a restaurant for young people because he is playing a jazz song too manically and upsetting the uptight patrons. It seems like Maynard’s ways are rejected by most people in the show.
Dobie and Maynard are both able to represent the beginnings of subculture in television.
ReplyDeleteMaynard is not at all a traditionally masculine character. This is evident in almost everything he does. He is not very well-dressed and appears to possess poor hygiene. This can be seen in his main piece of clothing - his tattered sweatshirt, which is referenced by the characters on the show. He likes music that other people of the time don't, which is seen when he gets kicked out of the ice cream parlor. His obsession with his music and his constant playing of the bongos in his room can also be seen as a representation of the counter culture. His grammar reflects that of what I imagine a stereotypical hippie's grammar to be. In that time period, I would argue, there had been "noone like Maynard" presented on television before.
Dobie is definitely the more masculine of the two characters, however I would argue that Dobie isn't necessarily masculine in the traditional sense. On one hand, he is a good looking, well-fashioned man, but he doesn't possess the assertiveness that I think a more traditionally masculine character might have. At the beginning of the episode, it's revealed that he is trying to ask out a girl by having Maynard give her a letter. I can't see a really traditionally masculine figure asking a girl out by sending a letter through a friend. A more masculine figure would take a direct approach. Also, while it's not seen in the episode, Dobie is a character that is constantly falling hopelessly in love with new girls. While this is probably realistic of a typical American teenager, it's not necessarily a trait that would be seen in a more masculine, dominant character.
In The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis we can see subcultures beginning to be featured on popular television, however, they are featured in a way that is almost cartoonish. Dobie Gillis presents characters like beatnik Maynard as a caricature of a persona that was fairly relevant in popular culture at that point in time. Of course, the show in and of itself is gimmicky and campy (for example, Maynard using the word “like” multiple times in each sentence), however the presentation of subcultures remains as individuals, not as groups. Meaning that the subcultures featured are seen as an individual character, and that character embodies that subculture, as opposed to a group of people being seen as that classification. I think the show tried to feature Dobie as the “All-American” type that could appeal to everyone which provided a stark contrast from Maynard. The episode that we watched in screening followed Maynard speaking to a whole cast of characters throughout the town who rejected him, his family included. Maynard, after announcing that he has been drafted to the army, is only then accepted and acknowledged. The moral compass guiding The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis can also been seen in the fact that the show starts and ends with direct address monologues from Dobie summing up the moral of the show, thus Dobie acts as the moral standard for American teenagers at that point in time.
ReplyDeleteAs television progressed and evolved over the years, it began to develop different facets and cater to different demographics. So naturally, subcultures made their way onto television as well. This is evidenced in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis in the masculinity of Dobie and Maynard. I would say that Maynard was presented as unexpectedly masculine and Dobie was portrayed as deceptively masculine. Dobie seems to be the ideal American boy. He is good-looking, clean, well dressed, confident, and personable. Even at the beginning of the episode, Dobie is shown copying the pose of a large, masculine marble statue. This gives an association between Dobie and masculinity. Then his encounter with Maynard about the note reveals that he chooses not to address a girl directly but rather through a note. That is the chink in his masculine armor. As the episode goes on we discover he cares about Maynard and even gives a sentimental speech about him. That is another instance of breaking the stereotype of masculinity at that time. It is interesting, though, because that sentimental characteristic makes Dobie layered, complex, and a precursor for modern masculinity.
ReplyDeleteMaynard on the other hand is immediately shown as the antithesis of Dobie and his projected masculinity. Maynard is grungy, uncertain, and goofy. He is not well tolerated by anyone no matter how hard he tries. He is also not very assertive or skilled socially, which were both important to masculinity during that time. But then when he enlists in the army everything changes. The army itself is a very masculine establishment and Maynard joining seems like an extreme contrast. However, when he does join he flourishes and even becomes a leader of a group in the army. Thereby, he demonstrates the masculinity he had in him all along. It could be argued that title of most masculine between Dobie and Maynard switches from the beginning of the episode to the end.