The Donna Reed Show - Essay Example

The Donna Reed Show was produced by Donna Reed and her husband, Tony Owen. The episode represented the likely characteristics of an ideal family in post war times. The post war family was presented in the show as a bearable family that held a considerable level of harmony and togetherness. The episode also talked about the problems prevalent in a typical middle-class family. Some of the characteristics and problems exposed in the episode include: firing of the family’s house help, effective problems solving models and sufficient family leisure time.

The television show also explored emerging issues such as freedom of expression as well as women’s rights and freedom (Leibman 58). The Donna Reed Show main theme was significantly different from the themes reflected in two popular songs of that particular historical period, “I Don't Want to Play House," by Tammy Wynette (1967) and D-I-V-O-R-C-E," by Tammy Wynette (1968). The essay t seeks to analyze the differences between the two songs and suburban ideal family portrayed in The Donna Reed Show The song, “I Don't Want to Play House,” by Tammy Wynette (1967) narrates an anecdote of a young woman who had separated with her husband.

The separated young woman overheard her young daughter explaining to a neighborhood boy about the nature of their broken family. In the conversation, the mother overheard her frustrated young girl telling the neighbor boy on how she dislikes playing in their home. The young child’s revelation to the boy from the neighborhood troubled the young mother to the level of understanding the disparities in her home. The song talks about an unstable and separated family. The theme of the song is quite different with the theme presented by The Donna Reed Show.

The Donna Reed Show expounds on the need of a harmonious and team working family while the song brings out an unbearable and separated family. As opposed to The Donna Reed Show, the song has to some extent failed to portray the actual characteristics of an ideal family. In general, the television show explains the need of a working team and a harmonious family while the song, “I Don't Want to Play House," by Tammy Wynette exposes a disjointed and intolerable familyThe song D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” by Tammy Wynette (1968) represented an impending down fall of a family.

The song also reveals old fashioned parenting style of dictatorship and excessive punishment. This form of dictatorial family reduced the children understanding of their surrounding including comprehending the meaning of common words. The song also exposes a cruel world that cannot hold a successful family. The subject of the song D-I-V-O-R-C-E," by Tammy Wynette (1968) was different from the theme represented in The Donna Reed Show. The television show talks about the need of maintaining a happy family through timely dialogue while the song talks about a possible family fall out.

The Donna Reed Show reflects a family friendly environment, where all players are hoping for a successful family. However, the song is skeptical about the need for a happy family. The environment surrounding the song is hostile and harsh for a stable familyWork citedLeibman, Clare. Living Room Lectures: The Fifties Family in Film and Television. Texas: University of Texas Press, 1995. Print.