The cocktail hour functions as a pause in suburban movement and also this walking tour. In post war suburbia, social gatherings are centred around alcohol, drinking becomes almost a ritualistic behaviour. Alcohol was closely associated with sophistication and masculinity, particularly within suburban middle-class life. However, it is often a metaphor for suppression and destruction.
Slim Aaron’s suburban party photography from the 1950s and 1960s captures the idealised ease of effortless pleasure. Yet the images are carefully composed masking the emotional and social regulation beneath the surface.
In The Swimmer, (Cheever, 1964) alcohol is present at multiple points along Neddy’s journey, most notably, the story starts with mentions of overconsumption, “We all drank too much.” (Cheever, 1964) Neddy drinks more at different pool sides and it becomes clear that consumption is a means of sustaining his illusions. It is heavily implied that alcoholism was an issue that impacted his fall in society and a force of destruction in his life.
Similarly, alcohol is shown at destructive moments in The Stepford Wives. (Forbes, 1975) Walter’s drinking often precedes violence whereas Joanna’s drinking is usually in moments of defiance, such as when she drinks some of Walter’s scotch with Bobbie. Characters such as Carol Van Sant also corroborate this as she uncovers a history of alcoholism and it was heavily implied that the cause of this was her unhappiness, perhaps with struggle for her own autonomy and marriage before she was replaced.
As a rest stop, the cocktail hour reveals that suburban leisure is not neutral and that consumption is often a disguise or coping mechanism for deeper rooted societal issues.
A gendered walking tour of post-war suburbia 