Question

What does the historian Lary May mean when he writes that Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford represent "the new personality" in Hollywood and American culture? In what ways did these stars represent a new, "modern" type of American?

Answer 1

Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford represented 'the new personality' by embodying the modern American values of individualism and self-reliance during the cultural shifts of the 1920s.

Step-by-step explanation:

Historian Lary May suggests that Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford represent "the new personality" in Hollywood and American culture by embodying a new, modern type of American during the early 20th century. This is aligned with the cultural shifts of the 1920s, when American culture largely reflected values of individualism, self-reliance, and material success. As leading figures in the burgeoning film industry, Fairbanks and Pickford epitomized these values, both on and off the screen, and became symbols of the glamorous, aspirational American life. They reflected the 'modern' ideals of the time and contributed to a broader societal interest in wealth, fashion, and the emerging concept of celebrity status.