What are the problems the three leads face in adjusting to peacetime American society?

Being able to interpret history goes beyond just reading books and articles. Many today look at cultural outlets like films, music, magazines, and other forms of entertainment to better understand how societies presented and understood issues of the day. For this assignment you will choose one of the films listed below and write an essay analyzing the film based on the prompts provided for each. Use scenes and characters from the film to bolster your arguments. Remember to consider the time period in which each film was made, using the lectures and readings to show how the film comments upon the conditins and issues of the period in which it was made.
Your essays should be 750 words in length; 50 words over or under that length will have points marked off. Your essay as a word document with 1 inch margins, double-spaced, in 12 pt. Times New Roman font and include citations for your sources. Please use Chicago Style citations with footnotes and a works cited page, including citations for lines taken from the movie. You must use evidence from the lectures and the readings to provide context of the period in which the film was made. You must cite at least 2 sections of the textbook for your essay. You may also use film reviews and analyses of the selected films from reputable – an established academic journal or newspaper publication and/or written by a film professional with an advanced degree – as a supplement, but you must cite the source.
ESSAY TOPIC
The Best Years (1946) won seven, including Best Picture, and is ranked as one of the best American films ever made according to the American Film Institute. Write an analysis of the film’s depiction of the anxieties of returning veterans and difficulties of post-war demobilization and the state of the United States. In your analysis consider the following questions to guide you: What are the problems the three leads face in adjusting to peacetime American society? How do their situations differ depending on their class, family situation, or difficulties. What things have changed since they have been away and what are some of their barriers to doing what they want after serving their country? Does the film give a hopeful impression of the future of the country and its veterans?

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