Cat Assignment 2

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Kozirovskiy, David A12250278 Tuesday 6pm Accessibility of Hard Drugs, with Focus at the Home Level, and the Impact of the Mob Culture The 1950s was a roaring time for the United States, having just come out of WWII with a booming economy based on warfare and a new social structure as an increasing number of women entered the workplace. As many scientists provided medical breakthroughs into some of the most serious crises of the time, others made breakthroughs in the psychedelic and drug cultures. Following the boom of the drug gate in the late 1940s, hard drugs became rampant throughout the streets. As more and more narcotics found their way into the home, multiple aspects of the media began to depict the atrocities committed by the casualties of the drug trade and the mob system which controlled its flow. The CocaCola bottle (fig. 1) is just one example of the vast availability of drugs in American society during this era. This product was manufactured by the CocaCola company during the period when the soda pop included traces of the coca leaf, the same material used in the production of cocaine. [1] Although the amount in the drink was nowhere near the lethal dosage, it was still enough to induce “numbing and addictive” effects. [2] The advent of the television and commercials shot up sales of the drink, leading to the golden age for the CocaCola company. [3] This period saw the production of new sizes of the CocaCola bottle, ranging in size from a 6.5 ounce bottle to the kingsized bottle. CocaCola bottles such as this could be found all over the place, ranging from the club to the kitchen refrigerator. Therefore, it has been noted that the growth of the drink is synonymous with the growing drug culture of the period. Although simple in design, the CocaCola bottle is an example of how drugs were

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Transcript of Cat Assignment 2

  • Kozirovskiy,DavidA12250278Tuesday6pm

    AccessibilityofHardDrugs,withFocusattheHomeLevel,andtheImpactoftheMobCulture

    The1950swasaroaringtimefortheUnitedStates,havingjustcomeoutofWWIIwitha

    boomingeconomybasedonwarfareandanewsocialstructureasanincreasingnumberof

    womenenteredtheworkplace.Asmanyscientistsprovidedmedicalbreakthroughsintosomeof

    themostseriouscrisesofthetime,othersmadebreakthroughsinthepsychedelicanddrug

    cultures.Followingtheboomofthedruggateinthelate1940s,harddrugsbecamerampant

    throughoutthestreets.Asmoreandmorenarcoticsfoundtheirwayintothehome,multiple

    aspectsofthemediabegantodepicttheatrocitiescommittedbythecasualtiesofthedrugtrade

    andthemobsystemwhichcontrolleditsflow.

    TheCocaColabottle(fig.1)isjustoneexampleofthevastavailabilityofdrugsin

    Americansocietyduringthisera.ThisproductwasmanufacturedbytheCocaColacompany

    duringtheperiodwhenthesodapopincludedtracesofthecocaleaf,thesamematerialusedin

    theproductionofcocaine.[1]Althoughtheamountinthedrinkwasnowherenearthelethal

    dosage,itwasstillenoughtoinducenumbingandaddictiveeffects.[2]Theadventofthe

    televisionandcommercialsshotupsalesofthedrink,leadingtothegoldenageforthe

    CocaColacompany.[3]ThisperiodsawtheproductionofnewsizesoftheCocaColabottle,

    ranginginsizefroma6.5ouncebottletothekingsizedbottle.CocaColabottlessuchasthis

    couldbefoundallovertheplace,rangingfromtheclubtothekitchenrefrigerator.Therefore,it

    hasbeennotedthatthegrowthofthedrinkissynonymouswiththegrowingdrugcultureofthe

    period.Althoughsimpleindesign,theCocaColabottleisanexampleofhowdrugswere

  • becomingmoreandmoreprevalentinaplethoraofquotidianaspectsofAmericanculture,most

    prominentlyinthoseaffectinglifeinsidethehome.

    Asthedrugsdispersedthemselvesthroughoutthestreets,thewrittenworldofthe1950s

    begantobefloodedbythetroublesofsubstanceabusealongwithgangviolence.Comicbooks

    quicklycametotheforegroundforitsmassdepictionsofthesetwofeatures.Themainconcern

    wasbasedaroundthefactthatminorswerethemainaudienceforthismedia:asmanyas80%

    ofkidsand90%ofteenagerswerereadingthem[comics](Dooley,CoverYourEyes).Comic

    bookswereeasytohanddownfromonepersontothenext,makingthedisseminationofthe

    novelsimagesveryrapid.Thiscomposedtheclassicimageofthegroupofschoolgroundkids

    capturedbythemystiqueofcomicbookculture.[4]However,insteadofbeinghorrifiedbythe

    images,thechildrenwereinterestedmanyofthemexploredthedrugcultureforthemselvesand

    gotaddictedtotheverysubstancestheywerewarnedabout(Wertham).

    ThismagazinecoverforMurder,Morphine,andMe(TrueCrimeComics#2,May

    1947)(fig.2),aclassicexampleofthehorrorgenreofthe1950s,depictsthesetwostaplesofthe

    McCarthyera.Theblondewoman,whoisfeaturedprominentlyonthepage,smokesacigarette

    withbloodshoteyesandhollowedcheekbones,lendingcredencetothebeliefthatshehas

    problemswithmorphine.Thestereotypicalbigmobbossremainshiddenbehindthecommon

    talk,whileorderingshootingsthatcanbeseenonthelowerrightcornerofthepage.Hesits

    uponastackofcash,whichhereceivesfromhisdrugsalesandwholesalemurders.Onthe

    lowerleftisapileofstarvedbodiesbeingburned,alltryingtogetabitofthemorphinewhich

    oneoftheleadingmenisstickingintohimself.Thepictureisgrotesque,yetcaptivating.Jack

    Cole,whowrotethecomic,wasoriginallyacartoonistforPlayboyMagazine,soheismorethan

  • familiarwithcontentthatcanbeseenasinappropriateforthemassaudience(Dooley,The

    ComicsthatCorruptedOurKids!).Thevividcolorsusedintheprintingofthepage,as

    McCloudargues,bringsdramaintothescenealongwithasenseofurgency.[6]Thiscomic,due

    toitsprintingbeforethecomiccodeanditsvastavailabilityincomicbookstores,wasalone

    responsiblefortheintroductionofchildrentothedrugworldenmasse.

    Continuingontheexamplesetbythepreviousimage,thispage(fig.3)ispage6fromthe

    samemagazine.Thepageisarrangedincompletefilmnoirstyle(Lupesco),withdramaand

    tragedyapparentineachpanel.[7]Onthispage,weseehowTony,theaforementionedmobster

    leader,casuallyabusestheblondewoman.Tonysservants,whostandoutsidethedoorlistening

    totheirconversation,statehowtheironlyopportunitytomakemoneyistoworkinthemob,

    demonstratinghowmostoftheviolenceinthemobwassparkedbymonetarywantsinsteadof

    sadisticneeds.Thewoman,whowasfirstdisillusionedbythesuccessandbeautyoftheriches

    thatsheexperienceswithherboyfriend,realizesthetroublesthatgoalongwiththistypeof

    lifestyle.Coleusesathreebythreeformula.Thepanelsaredense.Everysingleelementthe

    drawings,thelettering,thewordandthoughtballoonscontributestothenarrative,creating

    intensity,dynamism,anddramaofthescene,makingyoufeelwhatthewomanfeels(Lupescu).

    Thepageisasynecdocheofthegreatermagazine,andthereforeofthegreaterdrugcultureofthe

    1950singeneral.Likethecoverofthemagazine,thebrightcolorsareusedtocaptivatethe

    readerandenticetheindividualintoreadingmore.Anunfortunatesideeffectofthiswasthatan

    amplepercentageofthechildrenwhoreadthemagazinewereenticedbyTonyswealth,and

    thereforeattemptedtojointhemobcultureforthemselves(Wertham).However,unlikethe

    magazinescover,whichcouldbeseenbyanyonethatenteredacomicstore,theimagesfound

  • onthispagecouldonlybeseenbythechildrenthatboughtthemagazineorreceiveditfroma

    friend.Thismeantthatthisimagewasmuchlesswidespreadthanthepreviousone(Fig.2).

    Nonetheless,asdescribedbyDooley,mostchildrenwerestillabletogettheirhandsonthis

    comic.Althoughitwasmeanttodeterchildrenawayfromthedrugworld,comicssuchasthis

    oneironicallyenticedthemtoexperienceitfirsthandandledtothecreationofthecomiccode.

    Eventhoughitappearedthatthedrugcultureaffectedmostlyadolescents,childrenunder

    fiveyearsofagewerealsohit.Inthis1950scartoonpanelfromMickeyMouseandthe

    MedicineMan(fig.4),Mickeyisshownhavingagreatenergyrushafterconsuminganew

    drinkknownaspeppo.Althoughcocaineisneverreferenceddirectlyinthecomic,peppohastoo

    manysimilareffectscomparedtococaineforittobejustacoincidence.Duetotheirexcitement

    fromthedrink,MickeyandGoofygetstuckinAfricawhichresultsinseveralcomedicevents.

    Thiscomic,alongwithmanyothercomicsofthetime,werewrittentotryandinformthe

    youngergenerationabouttheabusesondrugsandpotentialeffectsnobodyinreallifewouldbe

    stuckescortingcamelsinthemiddleoftheSahara,buttheconsequenceswouldbejustas

    detrimentaltoboththephysiqueandpsyche(silverstreak).Ascomparedtotheothercomics,this

    depictionisfarmorecartoonishandcomedicinnature,lendingreasonforitbeingachildrens

    comic.Propitiously,childrenwerenotabletounderstandthefullextentsofthedrugundertones

    ofthepiece.Nonetheless,thechildrenweredesensitizedtoextrememoodswingsandtheuseof

    medicationforemotionalrushessuchasthoseassociatedwithdruguse.[8]Theuseofthe

    cartoonmediumwasimportanttoreachlargeportionsofthechildaudienceandtocontinuethe

    rotationofcomicsalongtheneighborhoodculdesac,alongwiththemoregrotesquecomicsof

    theera.

  • Inanotherexampleofa1950scomiccover,ayoungmannamedBrucepleadshisdrug

    dealerforashotofadrug,probablycocaine,eventhoughhehasnocash(fig.5).Bruces

    mother,meanwhile,triestoholdhimback,begginghimtoquittheaddiction.Thedrugdealer,

    dressedintypicalgangstergarb,looksundisturbedatthescene,unwillingtosellthedrugifthe

    boydoesnothaveanycash.Thejuxtapositionofthestateflaginthebackgroundandthedrug

    dealintheforegroundisarepresentationoftheabandonmentoftypicalallAmericangoals,such

    asattendingaprestigiousuniversity,whicharereplacedbythefixationontheepinephrinerush.

    Themob,asshowninthiscomic,wasthemainsourceofdrugsinsociety.[9]Also,asshownin

    (fig.3),themonetaryreturnofsellingdrugsismoreimportantthantheactualactofgettinga

    bunchofyoungpeopleaddictedtococaine.Thiscomic,havingbeenproducedafterthecreation

    ofthecomiccodeandthepublicationofWerthamsinfluentialnovel,depictsalotofsocietys

    fearsregardingteenagersuseofdrugsinsociety(Dooley,CoverYourEyes).Bythispoint,

    drugshadsuccessfullyinfiltratedthehomeandaffectedintrafamilialrelations,tothepointwhere

    childrenwerewillingtogiveuptheirfamilytoexperienceonemorehigh.Althoughthefull

    extentoftheproblemwasmuchmorelimitedcomparedtotheairtimeitreceivedonthemedia,

    thedestructionofthehomesteadwasaseriousissueofthe1950s.[10]Alongwiththepreceding

    comics,theuseofthewrittenmediumfacilitatedthespreadofthemediumandcontributedtothe

    masseducationofbothparentsandteenagersregardingthethreatofthedrugculturetothe

    traditionalAmericanDream.

    Lastly,thehighlyadvertiseddrugculturemadeitswayontothesilverscreen.Thisimage

    isastillfromthemovie,SomeLikeitHot(1959)(fig.6).Inthisscene,themobsterboss(left)is

    seencountingmoneywhilehismobshoots,presumablyatadrugaddict(right).Thefiringisa

  • resultofapoordrugtrade,inwhichthemobbossbelievesthatthebuyerhastoldthepolice

    aboutthetrade.Scenessuchasthisoneemphasizethemobspoweroveranyandeverything

    relatedtothedrugmarketofthe1950sandtheircompletemonopolizationofthedrugtrade.The

    film,however,wasfeaturedasacomedyandreceivedlargeportionsofitsaudiencefromthe

    teenagepopulation.ThecomedicnatureofthefilmcanbecomparedtotheMickeyMousecomic

    inthatbothofthemediumsdesensitizetheyoungaudiencetotheworldofthedrugculture.The

    film,dueitsmasspopularity,taughtlargeportionsofthepopulation,amuchlargersharethan

    comicbooks,abouttherealityofmobruleandthewholesalemurders,suchasthatofJoseph

    Ardizzone,thatwerepartofthegangsquotidianactivities.Otherperniciousaspectsofthemob

    rulethatwereheavilypresentduringthiseraweretheheavyconcentrationsofdope,themultiple

    bookkeepinginterstatetransactioninstancessuchasthoseintheKefauverhearings,etc.[11]Some

    LikeitHotwasahitproductionthatparodiedthemobofthe1950sandactivelyportrayedthe

    cultureinamorerealisticfashionthananyofthecomics.

    Asaprecursortothehippierevolutionofthe1960s,the1950swasfilledwithmob

    violenceandheavydrugabuse.Thesetwoaspectswereseeninmultipleviewpointsofsociety,

    especiallythroughthecomicandmoviecultures.Meanwhile,theCocaColabottlestandsasa

    relicdedicatedtotheabundanceofillicitnarcoticsfoundinsociety.Likewise,thehorrorcomics

    andmoviessuchastheonesfeaturedhere,contributedheavilytothecontinuouslygrowingfear

    regardingadolescentdrugabuse,whichultimatelyledtothecreationofthecomiccodeandother

    constrictionsofthefreedomofpublicationduringtheMcCarthyEra.Nevertheless,the1950sare

    rememberedasaperiodofgrowth,recovery,andtransformationfortheUnitedStates,leaving

    thedarkeraspectstoberememberedonlythroughthesurvivingartifacts.

  • References:Images

    1. Digitalimage.RadiolaGuy.com:CokeBottleRadio:TubeTypeCocaColaBottleRadio.N.p.,n.d.Web.12Dec.2014..

    2. Dooley,Michael.CoverYourEyes:theGraphicHorrorsof1950sComics.Print.25Sept.2013.Web.1Dec.2014.

    3. silverstreak.MickeyMousewasaCocaineDon.2OceansVibeNews.23June2010.Web.2Dec.2014..

    4. SomelikeItHot.Dir.BillyWilder.Perf.MarilynMonroe,TonyCurtis,andJackLemmon.MGM/UAEntertainmentCo.,1959.

    Sources

    1. May,CliffordD.HowCocaColaObtainsItsCoca.TheNewYorkTimes.30June1988.Web.11Dec.2014.

    2. CocaColaAdvertisement.Digitalimage.CompleteHealthClinic.N.p.,n.d.Web.3Dec.2014..

    3. Cantwell,VanessaN."1950's:TheGoldenAgeofCocaCola."TheHistoryofCocaCola.N.p.,Spring2008.Web.11Dec.2014..

    4. Dooley,Michael.TheComicsthatCorruptedOurKids!Print.23Sept.2013.Web.12Dec.2014.

    5. Wertham,Fredric.SeductionoftheInnocent.N.p.:Rinehart,1954.Print.6. McCloud,Scott.UnderstandingComics:TheInvisibleArt.NewYork:HarperPerennial,

    1994.Print.7. Lupescu,Lucian."Synecdoche,PageSix.ACondensationofJackCole's"Murder,

    Morphine,andMe"(1947)."Academia.edu.N.p.,n.d.Web.11Dec.2014..

    8. "TheMethodsinThisMadness:Desensitization."EncyclopediaofViolence,Peace,andConflict.Vol.3.N.p.:Academic,1999.159.Print.

    9. "ItalianOrganizedCrime."FBI.FBI,27Aug.2010.Web.11Dec.2014..

  • 10. Admin."HistoryofDrugAbuse:The50's."PalmPartnersRecoveryCenter.5Aug.2013.Web.10Dec.2014..

    11. "LosAngelesCrimeFamily."Wikipedia.WikimediaFoundation,n.d.Web.12Dec.2014..

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