Shameless Family: Destructive And Dysfunctional Family

Shameless is an American TV series based on the self-destructive and dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher, a single father of six children. The program is set in Chicago and illustrates a story of an alcoholic father who spends his day getting drunk, while his kids learn to take care of themselves. Fiona, the eldest daughter, takes responsibility upon herself at the age of 15 to become the caretaker of the family both physically and financially. Although the Gallagher’s do not have the structure of a nuclear family, they still hold the functionalist perspective of having a matriarchal family system, with the sister leading the family. They fit with the functionalist theory, however not in the generic stance of having a mother and a father

It contains adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults” (p.1). Parents are the main influence in a child’s life and have the responsibility to be affectionate and nurturing towards their children. Conversely, dysfunctional parents with destructive influences tend to have troubled kids. Depending on the child’s social environment, there are some children in this world whom are not as fortunate enough to have a loving mother and father. The functionalist perspective focuses on keeping the family functioning regardless of the dysfunctions that can occur. (Bereska 10) A dysfunctional family is a threat to the stability of the greater society. However, from this functionalist perspective other structures come in by filling in the gaps that are missing in order to restore normality/ the

Fiona, eldest daughter, files a suit to take away his parental rights in order to become the legal guardian of the Gallagher children. In court she describes the time the children were kicked out of her uncles house when she was only six years old. There was nobody that Fiona and her two younger brothers could turn to and therefore had no other choice but to sleep in the back seat of the car. Fiona explains that her father pulls over in the middle of the night and tells them to go sit on the curb, as he would be right back. As Ian’s head begins to burn up Fiona runs down the street looking for help and states that it would have been easier scoring crack than a ride to the clinic. She finally made it on foot where she discovers that Ian has a fever of hundred and four. Frank appears few days later asking Fiona how much money she has on her. She explained that unfortunately she wishes she could say that was the only time; however, it was just the