Stereotypes of Teenagers
Wally, the eldest son, portrays the typical athletic, handsome, and smart young man. He gets good grades and is very masculine, like all boys were expected to do in the 1950s.
Wally obtains the highest grade in the class, an A-, while most of his friends receive lower grades. The boy who received the lowest grade was dating the teacher's daughter, Julie. He thought by dating her he would receive a higher grade. This was not the case, as it teaches to the boys that only hard work will lead to success.
On the other hand, Beaver, the younger son, is less masculine.He is the opposite of Wally and is much more sensitive. It is believed that Beaver's sensitivity is not because he isn't acting the way he should, but that he is simply too young to realize the role a man should play in the 1950s. He may not realize he should be masculine and athletic yet. The age gap most definitely contributes to this.
In this clip, Beaver takes dance lessons and even acts in the position of the woman. Wally urges them to stop because he knows it is not acceptable for two boys to dance together to romantic music. This proves that Beaver was much more sensitive and simply did not understand he had to be masculine until Wally informed him. Click below to learn about the Clothing Styles of the characters!