Carmen Wong Professor Gelfand History 152 24 February 2013 Amusing the Million In Amusing the Million by John

F. Kasson, the author describes how and why Coney Island was so successful to Americans in the 1900s. During this time period, many Americans were working in factories under long hours and harsh working conditions. With urbanization increasing, the workforce increased as well which pulled women and children in to work. Coney Island was created to balance the effects of urbanization by separating itself from society and its expectations. Kasson asserts that Coney Island was important for being a place where people could gather freely without worrying about their heritage and societys ideals. The general public enforced ideas of a genteel America. Men were expected to show respect towards women and provide some distance: The middle-class ideal as described in etiquette books of the period placed severed restraints certainly such books would never approve a gentleman intruding himself upon a lady with whom he was unacquainted (Kasson, 42). However, at the amusement parks found at the tip of Brooklyn, a more provocative form of America was expressed. Women and men were able to act more intimately with each other through rides that often forced body contact between the two genders. Women were also able to expose much more skin than on the streets while they were at the beach. Not only did a genteel America include the concept of a level of courtesy and respect between two genders, but it stressed the concept that the public must have a level of sobriety, diligence, and self control in order for it to be productive (Kasson, 106). The average worker had to obediently listen to the detailed instructions of supervisors a majority of the week (Foner, 686). Coney Island provided an escape from such tedious or monotonous work forced by the

industrial labor force. Attractions such as Lunas Park Switchback Railroad mocked the carts that led miners down their descent to work (Kasson, 37). The Switchback Railroad then led to the idea for the development of roller coasters, which continued to mock miners carts. Coney Island posed as a great social experiment. It was a place that tested the constraints of society and how far people would stray from it. Rather than being diligent and doing hard work, people were attracted to forms of mass entertainment. Coney Island was not the only evidence for this as mail order catalogues, malls, and Model T Fords became readily available and (Kasson, 107). Due to the abundance and mass production of goods, America quickly became a consumer society: Economic abundance would eventually come to define the American Way of Life, in which personal fulfillment was to be found through acquiring material goods (Foner, 684). The many attractions in Coney Island did not create a new characteristic of society, but rather brought out one that already existed. Kasson also noted that Coney Island was a melting pot of all cultures. People of different ethnicities flocked to Coney Island just to enjoy the aura that it created. Rides were cheap and accessible and the scenery behind the amusement parks was brought from regions all over the world. Luna Park, for example, borrowed ideas from Venetian cities, Japanese gardens, and Chinese theaters to appeal to its customers (Kasson, 69). Visitors and critics of the park noticed that most heads along Coney Islands beach was black demonstrating how it is no longer the conventional blonde hair of white Americans (Kasson, 97). Although many critics debated whether or not the social behavior of Coney Islands visitors were befitting of American society, the prices and atmosphere made it difficult to argue against such behavior. New lines and boundaries were set between men and women and between different ethnicities as well. Due to this new and unfamiliar behavior, many critics were alarmed

and against such conduct. Immigrants and their culture were able to blend in with their counterparts and peers, thanks to the amiable atmosphere created by the amusement parks and the affordability of the rides. Overall, I agree with Kassons assessment of the historical and social value of Coney Island. It has created and challenged standards of American society in the 1900s and was able to bring together an America that was very separated in its time. Class and economic differences were great during this time period, but Coney Island was able to ease it due to the similarity that each person shared their love of entertainment. Kasson was able to accurately demonstrate the importance of Coney Island through his photographs of expressive Americans who are briefly freed from their dull workdays. He was also able to successfully capture the viewpoint of both Coney Islands visitors and its critics at the same time as well.