Sociology of The Simpsons :: Sociology Essays

Sociology of the Simpsons The definition of what consitutes a family has definatly changed over time. Usually, what constitutes making up a family is relative to a specific culture, but as always, on that point are exceptions to the rule. Ever since the golden age of television had sprung upon American culture, it has seek to mimic the nonsuch American family through its programming. Even as wee as the 1950s, television producers made programming that would represent what exactly the ideal American family was. Take for example the show Leave It to Beaver. thither was a father figure, his rent out, or responsibility rather, was to financially support the family, mend being an exemplary father to his children. The mother on the other hand, was only responsible for being a typical housewife, while not neglecting the facts of life of her children. The children did not fork over any real responsibility, but they respected their parents and move to stay out of trouble. Televi sion shows for the most part in this ahead of time era of programming followed among these guidelines. However, it is not in a drama that American family life is best represented in the 1990s. Instead, it is in the animated series, The Simpsons.The Simpsons follows conform to with the other dramas that reflected the decade in which they aired. According to the U.S. consensus for March 1998, the majority of households in America are married couples (U.S. Consensus pp. 1, 3,4,6). The Simpsons meet this. Also harmonize to the consensus, the modal(a) married couple has approximately 2.6 children per household (U.S. Consensus, Household Characteristics p.1). Since there cannot be six-tenths of a child, I will round up to three children, in which the Simpson family has Bart, Lisa and Maggie. Also, the average American is a blue-collar persister. The father figure, Homer, meets this factor with his job at the nuclear power plant within his hometown of Springfield. So according to t he statistics, the Simpson family could be considered an average American family. Homer Simpson is the father figure of the household, whose responsibilities embarrass financially supporting the household, since he is the households primary source of income. He has his flaws standardized any person would, but somehow he and his family tend to work it out. Some of his mishaps are very similar to those that most of us have had to face.