Analytical Essay: Fresh Prince Of Bel Air

There is no such thing as the ‘perfect family.’ No one grows up with a flawless mother and faultless father in picture perfect house. For Will, from Fresh Prince of Bel Air, had an absent father and moved across the country to live with his wealthy uncle in one of the richest neighborhoods in Los Angeles to help straighten out his life. One day his father, Lou, decided to show up 14 years later, who was a little inept in expressing his feelings. While Lou demonstrates poor, ineffective communication skills, Uncle Phil has been nothing but a tower of support and strength for Will with competent communication.

The main character of the show, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith, born and raised by his single mother in west Philadelphia, moved

to Bel Air in southern California to live with his Aunt Vivian and Uncle Phil, after an altercation in a basketball court in Philadelphia. Uncle Phil is the closest father figure for Will, being strict but caring deeply about his family, including Will. In the episode, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse,” his father, Lou Smith, shows up after 14 years of being absent. Throughout the episode, Will spends ample time with his father, while Uncle Phil cautions him that his father may leave again. Ending the episode, Lou has to leave for work and asks Uncle Phil to “break the news to” Will, but Uncle Phil refuses to do his “dirty work for [him]” (“Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse.”).
Of the two family members of Will, Uncle Phil displays cooperative communication in contrast to his father, Lou. Uncle Phil maintains his relationship with Will in a positive light. Despite the countless times Will may have disobeyed and disregarded Uncle Phil’s opinions, he exhibits “powerful, intimate feelings” by simply having crucial conversations and sharing his thoughts and perceptions of the situation at hand (McCornack 197-203). Uncle Phil warns and reveals to Will that he cares about him and is suspicious of his father’s sudden appearance. Typically, “men communicate in a clear and straightforward fashion,” however Lou sends obscure content, as his message towards the end of the scene and is not “honest, relevant, [or] clear…”(McCornack 205-209). Lou diverts the root of his issue and requests that Uncle Phil tell Will that he will not be able to keep his promised road trip across the country with Will (“Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse.”). This is an example of him not “taking ownership of the things” he said to Will (McCornack 207). He had made promises and placed ideas in Will’s imagination in hopes to mend the pieces he has lost these 14 years, but only to break his promises, deteriorating his relationship with his long lost son. He finds this awkward and troublesome for himself to take full responsibility for leaving Will once more.
Furthermore, Uncle Phil displays constructive feedback and ethically uses his power for the greater good as the argument with Will’s father intensifies.

Lou and Uncle Phil begin verbal aggression, with Lou stating that Uncle Phil “is a better man than” he is because he ran away from his when Will was only a toddler (“Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse.”). Uncle Phil used his fatherhood experience as a power to encourage Lou to inform Will himself that he has to leave, instead of being the messenger for Lou, to avoid further damage of whatever relationship that he has left with Will. He presents defensive communication by dismissing the suggestion (McCornack 213). Will eventually catches his father before he gets escape the room and confronts Lou himself. Lou did not end this interaction with an apology, but instead walked away. This part of the scene reinforces that “conflicts with loved ones are guaranteed to be intense and emotionally draining experience” (McCornack 256). In that moment, the situation was too uncomfortable for Lou, leading him to suddenly withdrawal from the scene ( McCornack 273). Closing the scene, Will “idealized [a] self representation of wanting to become ‘different’ father[s] as compared to” his own (Langa

519).
Indeed, while Lou tries to send comprehensible messages and means well, but he remains ineffective in attempts to void the situation and walk out on Will yet again. Uncle Phil can see the invalidity of Lou’s ‘authenticity’ and competently conveys honest and straightforward messages. Communication becomes difficult when the lack of skills or lack of relationship is there. People will habitually avoid and withdraw themselves from having crucial conversations, but only with competent communication will matters resolve disputes.