The Story of William Levitt
The story of William Levitt and the creation of the modern suburb that we know today is told in the 1950 Time magazine article Up from the Potato Fields as found below this. If you can possibly prevent yourself from vomiting as you think about the dreadful and wretched suburban blandness that Levitt brought to our green and pleasant fields, please try to answer the following questions, only after the Pepto Bismol* has settled you down a little. Bleech. 1. What did Levitt do that had not been done before? Why was his model of a home and a community appealing to the many young families that quickly snapped up these tiny houses? 2. Why did this happen when it did? Basically, why didnt someone come up with this idea in 1920 or later in 1970 or never at all? What was it about the postwar period that made Levitt a millionaire and average middle-class white Americans home owners? 3. The community was described by the author of the article as antiseptic. What did he mean by that and do you think the residents wanted it that way? 4. Would you want to live in such a place??? Really, is there anything about this sort of community that you might find appealing?? (Maybe you live in such a place and are mad at that smug Horner for even asking???) At least 450 words.
