The conversations between the couple demonstrate the social apprehensions that accompanied the interaction between their personal life and the business world, as Shirley during one conversation, “Yes he turned and looked at [his] shoulder to see who was listening. This, along with the two shots, reflects the anxiety of the period in which he feared that every word he said could result in some form of persecution, in line with the "witch hunts" promoted by McCarthyism. This notion is also reflected through the use of props, using roller shutters to obscure the audience's view of the couple in the coffee room, symbolizing that the truth is manipulated and censored. This is reflected in the need to hide their relationship in the workplace for fear of persecution by the government. The social anxieties of the time period are also highlighted through the signing of the loyalty oath, as Shirley says: "If you don't sign this, are you and I a target?" The fearful tone reflects the anxieties of the period in which Shirley fears persecution by CBS for not having publicly declared her allegiance to America, and therefore against communism. Clooney is able to use the relationship between Joe and Shirley to create an authentic sense of philosophical paradigms in order to reflect the social tensions of