Presleystroika: A comparison
"Presleystroika" is an essay about the effect of pop culture on the development of a person, as well as the development of a generation. The Elvis threesome represented the ideal world, in which life was enjoyable, in which women no longer had to be subject to the injustices and expectations of reality. By using the troika, the real Elvis and Vlado as the Leningrad and Moscow Elvis, the narrator seems to be making a comment on how one's social standing and culture shape our perception of entertainment. Whereas Brother Baker, as an American, considered Elvis a Communist, the Russians saw him as a change to their communist ways. She describes the real Elvis as the "Lenin of Lust", joining the different cultures and portraying their similar effects on the audiences. Whereas in America he was responsible for making girls realize that there was more to life than "Betty Crocker cake mixes and crying babies" (pg. 209), in Leningrad and in Moscow "Elvis" brought to them a sense of hope for change, where breadlines would not always be the reality. This icon, be it real or an impersonation, made them realize that they could break the cycle and not lead the lives thei
I believe I am closer to understanding the American Elvis. True freedom and change can only be arrived at when the masses join together under one ideal. For the young American women, Elvis represented a chance to move away from their typical cycle of life, and move into a type of lifestyle less traveled. He did not conform to society's expectations of a singer; he brought about a new era in music and a brand new way of thinking to the masses. He instigated change without realizing his power. Vlado, on the other hand, is simply an impersonator. In Russia, he stands for everything that the American Elvis did, the fame and glamour and sparkling jumper suits. However, although he brought them hope for change and a desire for more, the ideals were not his to give. Those hopes already existed in Russian society, and Vlado was just mirroring them. entertainer, so it does not explain how Vlado started the Elvis impersonation act.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 800
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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