llywood.Another expectation was not met in Los Angeles was the concept of a nuclear family living happily ever after. This type of, June Cleaver family, only existed in Hollywood and as Elaine Tyler May states in, Great Expectations, “Couples hoped that marriage would include fewer sacrifices and more satisfactions. But obviously the Hollywood formula was not the answer. Although it did represent a genuine cultural ideal, couples could not do away with the serious responsibilities of married life and children, even if they so desired.” (May pgs 90-91) May’s writing is about the many broken marriages that do not live up to the Hollywood fantasy. May also believed that marriages failed due to women entering the work force, misguided hopes for marriage as sexual fulfillment, and an increased pressure on men to satisfy increased demands as the sole provider.Los Angeles began to commercialize through the transportation system. The federal government subsidized railroad development through various grants and loans. In 1876, the Southern Pacific Railroad connected the west with the rest of the United States. This capitalist railroad system soon became a monopoly, and proved to be a vital aspect in the development of Los Angeles. The rail system began as a tourist’s ticket to LA, but soon provided growth and commerce by linking the region to other parts of development. It brought the average person to Los Angeles and made citrus cultivation possible. The rail system brought workers to and from the orange fields, advertised the paradise like environment and eventually shipped these exotic fruits to the rest of the United States. It quickly fueled the annexation of surrounding cities to Los Angeles and expanded Los Angeles’s territories beyond that of a “walking city.” The elaborate rail system also paved the way for the future development of freeways and without it, towns like in the harbor a...
