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Although seemingly polar opposite to most readers, both Vance Packard’s The Status Seekers (1959), and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road (1957), exemplified the 1950s culture as a whole; exploring social issues that were relevant in this post-war “affluent” society. Since one book is an exploration of the country’s social and hierarchical structure from an insider’s point of view (Packard), and the other, a fictional story about a man’s coming to grips with himself and society in a series of adventures around the country (Kerouac), how can these two books representative of the 1950s culture be compared to one another? Both Packard and Kerouac address the American dream of 1950s—conformity, family, children, a job, strong social status—and explore the attempts to raise from one class to another; only to realize that they are no better off than in the first place, and that the true experiences in life are getting to that next level, not actually being at the next level—as demonstrated by Sal in On the Road. Kerouac embodies the break away from conformity, and perfectly illustrates Packard’s theory of reaching for the next level— be it a social class, or a new geographical destination--and what happens when that level is reached.
Packard’s view of the American Dream is a classless, egalitarian society, void of visible social stratification. ... In the early 50s, it seemed as though the lines between the rich, middle-class, and poor were dissolving, and the country was growing into a predominantly large middle class, Packard contends. ... Packard states in his book, “When any of us moves into a new neighborhood -- and 33,000,000 Americans now do this every year -- we are quickly and critically appraised by our new neighbors and business acquaintances before being accepted or rejected for their group.
Approximate Word count = 1351
Approximate Pages = 5.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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