HW#57

When I think of prom I think of a “traditional” rite of passage that has become largely accepted by the American society as a normal stepping stone in the road of changing from a teenager to an adult. This idea of a night where teenagers do things that are considered “adult” such as drugs, liquor, sex, and no curfews. During class today I mentioned my question about why or how prom has become such an important part of our society and how changes in the beliefs of adulthood has affected the view of prom and what it entails. The reason why this idea is important to me is because I feel that discovering the origins of any widely accepted practice such as prom, is vital in understanding how other practices have become so popular and how it affects the community of adults and young adults alike that participate in it. In class we also mentioned how fairytales such as Cinderella play a role in prom; to me, this variation of fantasy that mixes reality with magical aspects of fairytales, is the foundation of prom and the main reason why children are raised on this cartoony view of adulthood.  I also find it very interesting that all of these grown-up activities that go on during prom and after prom have been packed into one night where there are basically no rules. In my opinion I find it very contradictory that a night that serves as a rite of passage into adulthood would be used as an excuse to act in the opposite manner.  Personally I don’t disagree with it because it offers a look at the freedom that each teenager (including myself) feels that he/she does not receive. The most logical solution to this contradiction would be view prom as more of a test drive instead if a purchase, meaning that it should be viewed as a night where things are tried instead of a doorway into a new world with no return.