A View from the Bridge (1955)

1. A View from the Bridge (1955) By Arthur Miller

2. What do you know about the 1950s? • Who is this? • What does the term ‘nuclear family’ mean? • What part of Elvis’ body was blocked from view when he first appeared on TV? • What year was Queen Elizabeth crowned? • Who sang ‘Rock around the Clock’? • Alfred …… directed films such as Rear Window and Vertigo. • What is the name of J.D. Salinger’s famous teenage novel? • What was Marilyn Monroe famous for?

4. Arthur Miller 1915 -2005 McCarthyism – the USA were afraid of the spread of Communism, and Senator Joseph McCarthy interrogated lots of people involved in the arts to see if they were sympathetic to Communist causes. • Born into an affluent family, and lived in New York with his parents. • His father’s coat manufacturing business collapsed after the Wall St Crash (1929) so the family moved to Brooklyn; • Had to fund himself through University, and did several menial jobs, one being working in the docks of New York; • Completed his English degree and wrote numerous successful plays in his career, including The Crucible, Death of a Salesman and A View from the Bridge; • Investigated in 1952 by the Un-American Activities Committee due to suspected involvement in Communism – refused to give details of others he knew that were involved; • Married Marilyn Monroe in 1964.

6. Ellis Island • 1892-1924 = 20million immigrants to the USA passed through Ellis Island; • There were strict procedures to follow before they were granted entry, including health checks, finance checks and interrogations; • Families were often split and there were corrupt officials involved.

7. Draw this table in your book and write in any things that you associate with American/ Italian people or the things that are important to them.

8. Character Tree Eddie Carbone