Historical+Information

=Historical Information=

The average life of a teenager back in 1949 was very different than the life of teenager nowadays in the 21st century. In 1949, there was a lack of entertainment, so many teenagers would frequent the cinemas, going there at least once a week. At the cinemas, there would be continuous performances so people could go inside and stay as long as they wanted to. Other than spending time at the cinemas, teenagers would usually spend their whole day outside their house and away from their parents, usually playing sports or going to clubs with friends. Unlike the customs nowadays, teenage girls were seldom allowed to date or have boyfriends until they were sixteen years old. In addition, the young man would be required to meet the parents of the girl he was going to take out before going on a date with her. Many teenagers during the 1950 time period smoked cigarettes and used other types of drugs, including alcohol.

Holden's use of language was similar to the way many teenagers of his time spoke. Other than the fact that Holden used a lot of vulgar language, teenagers of this time period generally talked in a similar way.

The style of the 1940s was a classic look for both women and men. The clothing of the 1940s were greatly affected by the World War II rationing. A lack of fabric meant that skirts had to be straight, and blouses had to be made plain and simple. For women, accessories were an extremely important aspect of their outfit. There were a variety of bangles, earrings, pins, and purses that women could have in their wardrobe. Makeup was also an important part for a woman at the time; many women curled their eyelashes and wore lipstick.

Men outfits in the late 1940s were also greatly affected by World War II rationing. However, in the late 1940s, men began to gain access to the same kinds of fashions that were available in England and in France. An illicit item during the time period was called the “zoot suit”. This was an item that was usually worn in night clubs, and consisted of an oversized jacket, wide lapels, broad shoulders, and low crotches. The pant legs of these suits narrowed towards the ankles. Men usually wore accessories, especially hats, which were extremely popular during that time period.  Teenagers in the 1940s listened to music in clubs, which mostly played songs in the jazz and blues genre. Some of the greatest musicians of the time included Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. media type="youtube" key="bHRbEhLj540" height="344" width="425"

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The median income for a family in 1949 was about $5,000 dollars at the time, which is equivalent to about $30,000 dollars in 2009. I would expect Holden's family to fall under this category of income.

Sources: http://www.worldsalaries.org/ http://www.google.com http://www.fashion-era.com/1940s/ http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/40smusic.html