Coney Island started out as an American dream, thousands of people visited everyday. It attracted all sorts of people, middle class, working class and high class. Coney was one of the first parks in America designed to bring amusement to the public. The thesis of this book states, "The new amusement parks and their patrons attracted the attention of a variety of critics, artists, and reformers (9)." This book was successful in showing its readers this particular time frame. It does a good job showing how these parks attracted a new mass culture into amusement.
In latter 19th century there were two forms of amusement that Kasson discusses in the book, Central Park and the White City. Central Park was designed Frederick Law Olmsted and was the first major public park in U.S. The park was intended to be a rural retreat. Even though the park was not far from the middle of the city it was designed to be a place where it visitors could go and relax. The park had lots of things to do, a person go boating in the summer or ice-skating in the winter, horseback riding, and there was even amusement for the children. The park was very popular it attracted about 30,000 visitors a day. The White City was located in Chicago and its purpose was to amuse its visitors. This place had a Ferris Wheel, sideshows, and theatres to entertain its guests.
Coney Island popularity declined because everybody wanted to get a taste of what it was like. In the end, the same things that made it famous ruined its reputation. The island became too accessible to the public; it was too easy to get there when the trains started going there. "Once upon a time Coney Island was the greatest amusement resort in the world. The radio and the movies killed it. The movies killed illusions (112)." In the 1920's is when it's popularity started to dwindle. People still came to see the different places but the expectations were so high people left disappointed.
Life in the 19th Century was Coney Island not only impacted adults. One of Coney Island's greatest impacts was on children. For children Coney Island shaped their lives in a totally different manner. ... But Coney Island allowed kids to see many aspects to life. ... Coney islands diversity also helped shape many lives. ...
Discuss how Coney Island reflected the broader changes going on in American society at the turn of the century. Changes going on in American society at the turn of the century was reflected greatly through Coney Island and its amusements. ... That in itself brought promise to the ` development of Coney Island The rise of Coney Island helped to push this change of society by challenging social order and public conduct even further with this new form of entertainment. ... Coney Island also influenced what some may call a "sexual revolution". ... The significance of Coney Island wa...
Coney Island shattered all sexual norms found in cities at the time. ... However Coney Island only offered immediate enjoyment and escape from the demands of work and social life. ... Big business operates the way in does in large part due to the culture revolt Coney Island initiated. ... Through these things Coney Island became a dream like world that was separate from reality. ... Coney Island proved to be a cornerstone from which the rest of the 20th century culture would build around....
This island was called Coney Island. What was Coney Island and what did it bring to the Americans? ... Coney Island was on its way to great change. ... Coney Island provided a freedom that was not sensed elsewhere. ... Many of the rides on Coney Island were inspired by actual modes of transportation. ...
Coney Island I can still remember my first trip to Disney World. ... I think Coney Island and Disney World both have the same appeal. ... At Coney Island there were many freedoms allowed. ... Many people would vacation to Coney Island as a break, a trip to another land, it was refreshing and almost everyone during that time could say they had been to Coney Island. ... Disney has replaced Coney Island, offering many of the same things. ...
Coney Island Located at far western end of Long Island, Brooklyn is one of the New York City's five boroughs and home to 2.3 million. ... By May 1924, as many businesses rebuilt, Coney Island had a completely different look. In 1927, the 85 feet high Cyclone, Coney Island's most famous roller coaster opened. ... In 1941, Coney Island boardwalk was extended across Brighton Beach into Manhattan Beach. ... Although Coney's twenty oceanfront blocks of amusements have shrunk to three, the old Coney Island spirit lives on. ...
Kassons" Amusing The Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the century, the amusement park (Coney Islands" amusement parks in particular) played a significant role in the shift of attitudes, morals and overall lifestyle of our society. ... Coney Island, a small piece of land on the western end of Long Island in New York housed three of the most famous, popular and well recognized amusement parks at the turn of the 20th century. ... Prostitution, wild drinking and animal like behavior began to take hold of the patrons and the innocent face of Coney Island began to erode. Also the advent of the s...
