Moral Messages

The foregoing themes provided a methodological framework. They spelled out the appropriate stages necessary to achieve middle-class status through parenthood. However, raising a family was not simply a procedure of procreating the species. Before becoming parents, children had to learn proper moral behaviour from their families and through social interaction. Connelly and Mosher were experts at incorporating moral messages for children in the Leave It To Beaver series. (See Appendix "F" for a listing of moral messages contained in each program viewed.)

There were six important moral messages repeated throughout the program: obey/trust your parents, tell the truth, develop self-esteem, have pride in your family, help (or don't hurt) others, and accept responsibility for your actions. Often, more than one moral message was contained in a specific episode, such as when the boys disobeyed their parents and then lied. However, regardless of the circumstances, the program consistently delivered strong advice to children respecting their obligations to their family in particular, and society in general.

The issue of obeying and trusting parents was the most frequently repeated message. In most instances, Beaver was the recipient of the advice; however, there were a number of episodes where Wally had to be reminded of his obligations. For Beaver, "The Ring" (053) is perhaps the best example. Against his parent's specific instructions, Beaver took a family heirloom ring to school. From Beaver's perspective, he justified his action because he was told not to 'wear' the ring to school, so he simply tied it to a piece of string attached to his belt loop. When showing the ring to his friends he was encouraged to place it on his finger where it became stuck. When the school nurse was unable to remove the ring, June was called. Beaver then realized he should have listened to and trusted the advice given him by his parents.

Episode 049, "Wally's New Suit", best exemplifies Wally learning to accept and respect his parent's advice. Encouraged by Eddie Haskell, Wally approached his parents for permission to buy a new suit, for an upcoming dance, without parental interference. Ward and June reluctantly gave their permission and were devastated when Wally arrived home with a gaudy checked suit. June managed to convince Wally the suit needed some alterations and when they returned to the store, Wally chose a more appropriate outfit. When he arrived home from the dance, Wally thanked his parents for their thoughtfulness in preventing him from wearing an inappropriate outfit. Wally, as the older of the two boys, had a better understanding of socially acceptable behaviour and was usually able to avoid placing himself in troublesome situations. Beaver, on the other hand, always knew when he did something wrong, but was portrayed as being afraid to bring the problem to the attention of his parents. His trepidation occurred for two reasons, uncertainty over the consequences of his actions, coupled with a fear of disappointing his parents.

Wally's role was generally that of facilitator. He explained Beaver's actions to Ward and June, or clarified for Beaver the reasoning behind his parents' advice. Thus, children were not only encouraged to listen to, and obey, their parents, but they were to actively seek parental advice in difficult situations.

Telling the truth was another important issue addressed by the program. There were several ways in which the problem of lying was presented to the viewer. Most occasions involved Beaver by himself, although there were a number of situations in which both Beaver and Wally attempted to keep something from their parents. Sometimes the boys learned a lesson about lying through the actions of outsiders. One of the best examples of the consequences of lying, by an outsider, was the episode entitled "Mistaken Identity" (147). One of Beaver's friends, Richard Rickover, broke a window in a deserted house. When the police caught him, he gave Beaver's name as his own. This resulted in a (very embarrassing) police visit to the Cleaver home to inform Ward and June. When Beaver was called downstairs to answer for his 'crime' the office realized Beaver was not the boy he apprehended. Although Beaver knew it must have been Richard, he refused to 'rat' on his friend. As expected, Richard had an attack of conscience and called Ward to apologize for lying about his name and causing such a disturbance.

In two specific episodes, even Ward and June were used as examples to show the consequences of not telling the truth. In episode 084, "Beaver Takes a Walk", Ward's exaggeration about how far he walked as a youngster cost Beaver his baseball glove. When Beaver bought his mother a particularly gaudy blouse for her birthday, (092, "June's Birthday), June lied and told him she liked the present. When she didn't wear the blouse as promised, Beaver was devastated and felt betrayed by his mother. June was then forced to explain that sometimes people don't tell the truth in order to spare the feelings of others. In each of the foregoing incidents, heavy reliance was placed upon individual conscience as a deterrent to lying, coupled with the fact the lie was always discovered and the truth revealed.

Regardless of the circumstances, or the methods employed by the writers, the underlying message was always the same: tell the truth. Ward's lecture to Beaver, for not telling the truth about losing a library book, provides the best summation of this particular moral message.

The development of self-esteem was another important message the writers relayed through the program. On a broad basis, this took the form of developing, or augmenting, a personal moral code based on interaction with other individuals in a variety of circumstances. A more specific reference to enhancing self-respect was achieved by creating situations in which the boys were concerned with their physical appearance, or forced too accept and be satisfied with their God-given talents.

By adopting this approach to self-esteem, Connelly and Mosher gave both adult and child viewers familiar situations with which they could identify. Who in the audience, had not at some point, been concerned with their physical appearance or abilities? The message for the viewer combined the universality of the human experience, with the necessity of overlooking shortcomings, and concentrating instead on the rewarding and positive aspects of life.

Next to developing self-esteem, pride in family was the most frequently noted moral message in the program. As the series revolved around family life, the episodes chosen were ones in which a direct reference was made to the importance of family. In most instances, family was presented as a safe haven where Wally and Beaver either counted on each other, or their parents to protect them from outsiders. Another method employed by the writers was to teach the boys to appreciate their family by comparison. On those occasions either relatives or friends were used as alternative role models.

By deliberately referring to the benefits enjoyed by membership in a family, the writers were able to convey to children the importance of family in their own upbringing. Moreover, it served to reinforce the necessity of retaining close family ties when youngsters started families of their own.

To promote this idea of familial responsibility, the writers also tried to teach children to treat other with respect. To a large degree this entailed developing a Christian attitude toward fellow human beings - following the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is not to say the programs had a particularly religious tone, but rather that the idea of respect for society required individuals to help one another, or conversely not to hurt others through words or actions.

The writers used the program to convey the message in one of two ways, either through family interaction, or by using outsiders. Some episodes showed how unkind words or actions had a devastating effect on the recipient. Others displayed how thoughtfulness was rewarded. The underlying message, however, was to encourage viewers to think of the consequences of their actions on fellow human beings.

Accepting responsibility for your actions, and acting responsibly went hand in hand with the foregoing message regarding kindness to others. Not only were children accountable for their actions, but they were expected to be trustworthy and dependable. Connelly and Mosher incorporated these two inter-related factors into the program in a very effective manner.

In some episodes, Beaver or Wally learned to be accountable by facing up to some difficult situation. In others, the boys revealed how well they had learned their parent's lessons by proving they were trustworthy and dependable.As they were raised properly, Wally and Beaver always confronted their problems and found the consequences were never as bad as they imagined. Thus, the television audience received guidance and advice on how to react to, or extricate themselves from, troublesome circumstances.

The most important moral messages for children were to trust and obey their parents. This could only be accomplished if they told the truth when dealing with their parents. In addition, by listening to their parent's advice, children would gain an understanding of the importance of family and also develop a sense of self-esteem. Equipped with a strong sense of self, children could venture into the larger society and contribute in a responsible manner by helping others.

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