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Over the years, several cartoon series have been chosen as the object of study for different researches. The world most famous animated family, The Simpsons, has been studied by Meskill (2007) focusing on their discourses about education. The author concluded that the satirical portrayal of schools in The Simpsons- teaching, learning, administrating- is brilliant in the cleverly suggested conflicts it portrays and provokes. These contradictions, according to Meskill, can illuminate the humanistic side of the society in which we live and help to improve its institutions. Another cartoon series that has received many critiques is South Park. Schulzke (2012) analysed the episode “The F Word” to illustrate how the show uses sophisticated strategies
of contesting meaning. Schulzke concluded that since the episode plays some part in dissociating the meaning of “fag” with homosexuality, the intention of the episode should not be qualified as harmful but the contrary. In the same line, Klein & Shiffman (2011), focusing on the prosocial content of animated cartoons, specifically in The Animaniacs and Pink and the brain, found that there was a prevalence of positive content and messages and pointed out that this prevalence has risen dramatically over the course of the past several years.
When you sit down to watch Television after a long day you never give a thought to the possible message or real world comparisons within the episode. After watching and analysing an original episode of The Simpsons my eyes were opened to the message that was buried within the cartoon. In Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment, the writer Matt Groening uses the Simpson family to display a natural struggle between the Id, Ego, and Superego. The episode features the internal conflict between pleasure and reality while expanding it to the world around the characters as well.
Move over Jetson there is a new beloved animated family in town, the Simpsons. The Simpson’s originally aired on December 17th, 1989 and has yet to make us stop laughing. The Simpson’s follow a not so typical American family from the fictional town of Springfield. The episode follow the satirical lives of Homer (Dad), Marge (mom), Bart (brother), Lisa (sister), and Maggie (little sister). Though this is a satirical TV show many episodes provide excellent points and example of material covered in a sociology class. The episode “Marge not be Proud” gives multiple examples of deviant behavior and this essay will discuss two of them.
In society today, we are conditioned to believe certain sets of ideals. We use these ideals to interact and get along with the other people we surround ourselves with. These ideals are often the societal norms that form common ground amongst individuals. However, living life based off these basic and unchanging beliefs is not beneficial to humanity, nor does it make life any easier to live. In fact, holding on to the most accepted beliefs holds back society as a whole. Judith Halberstam, in her essay “Animating Revolt and Revolting Animation” challenges these societal norms through the analysis of animated movies and, in doing so, carves a path for a new way of thinking.
Technology has become a ubiquitous presence in today’s society. Media plays a considerable role in influencing elementary aged students view on culture, acceptable behaviors, and gender roles. The two TV series, Jessie and Lab Rats are examples of popular shows that elementary students enjoy watching. Both shows target ages 9-16 and air on the popular Disney Channel. This paper will discuss the culture and stereotypes present in each of these shows.
Younger generations and the more vulnerable in society can be influenced in avoiding peer pressure, but for the individuals filled with wisdom, the shows can reflect based on American modern society. Everybody Loves Raymond and Full House are great shows who faces similar life obstacles a typical person living in the US has today. As a result, most modern family comedy sit-coms are reflecting our society’s generations and the more vulnerable. Based on the success of early family sit coms, American’s adapted to a fast pace lifestyle with the help of modern
Since television came into existence, it has evolved into a useful tool to spread ideas, both social and political, and has had a great effect on the generations growing up with these heavily influential shows. To these younger generations, television has taken the role of a teacher, with the task of creating a social construction by which many of us base our personal beliefs and judgments on. This power allows television shows take the opportunity to address problems in a manner that many audiences can take to heart. Many television shows present controversial topics in a comical matter, in some ways to soften the blow of hard-hitting reality at the same time bringing attention to the issue being addressed. In the television show, Everybody Hates Chris, season one, episode four entitled “Everybody Hates Sausage”, the stereotypes that continue to fuel racism are examined in a satirical motif, and class is presented in a comical way, but carries serious undertones which present a somewhat realistic view of the different social strata within the United States.
NBC network’s The Office is definitely a show that a lot of youth watch nowadays or well, used to at the least. Some people are amused by the show’s style of humour, however many are not so entertained. Personally, I find that the style of humour in this particular show is used to depict hegemonic relationships and stereotypes that exist in modern culture. Thus, for this specific reason, I will attempt to apply and analyze the theme of cultural hegemony to The Office.
In recent years, a certain animated sitcom has caught the public's attention, evoking reactions that are both favorable and unfavorable, but hardly ever apathetic. As a brilliant, socially aware satire, Matt Groening's The Simpsons has effectively stirred different emotions from different factions of the culturally deadened American populace, and for this alone, it should be recognized as "quality programming." The Simpsons is a brutal satire of our society and our family structures yet it offers several redeeming qualities such as feminism, endurance, and most of all humor.
In conclusion, Futurama Fry is a funny and popular meme. I love looking and sharing different memes when I am on social media. Though, I always watch what I share to make sure no one gets offended. I never really paid too much attention to the details of a meme until this assignment. Although people really enjoy memes, and they truly can impact someone’s life. They can also state what everyone is actually thinking without having to say it to someone’s face, and they usually take it better when it comes
The author of “Shopping at J-Mart with the Williams”, Lindsay Coleman, discusses race, ethnicity, and belonging in South Park. She talks about how South Park joins the “long tradition of decidedly impolite, racially charged comedy” (Coleman 131) through rhetoric. Coleman goes on to give specific examples of racially based actions in different episodes to show the commonality of this rhetoric in South Park. She explains how typical black stereotypes are portrayed in some episodes to help highlight South Park’s use of racial comedy. She also explores the role reversal of race through “social condition” (Coleman 131). In America, most people associate wealth with white men/women, but in South Park, the black men and women are the wealthy people.
While they don’t always do the right thing they learn from their mistakes and improve on them. The writers of the television program use comedy as the vehicle for their message on the American society and culture. They also often use references from famous literature and media in American culture to help convey their point. The writers use parodies and references so the audience can relate with the story and truly understand the message behind the episodes. The television show conveys strong messages on the society that surrounds the writers. The episode while designed to make people laugh are also based on truths in the American society. Through episodes of The Simpsons and the book The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D 'oh! of Homer byAeon J. Skoble, Mark T. Conard, and William Irwin it can be seen that there is truth in the myths about the community in American society, the American dream, and American family values as portrayed in The Simpsons. Americans are goodhearted people with good intentions and The Simpsons show
The Simpsons relies on the use of quotationalism for many reasons, and those who lack familiarity with popular culture could be left to interpret the show differently than those with greater knowledge of popular culture. Popular culture is everywhere, Maasik and Solomon say, “From the way we entertain ourselves to the goods and services that we produce and consume, we are enveloped in a popular cultural environment that we can neither do without nor escape, even if we wanted to,” (7). The Simpsons use popular culture as a basis for the show’s references. Other aspects that drive the show are the characters and the plots for the show (Matheson 289-290). Knowledge-lacking viewers would create an opinion about The Simpsons along the lines of a family-based comedy with characters that are neither bright nor interesting. In order to set the tone and fully develop the characters, quotationalism is absolutely vital. Therefore, those without the knowledge of popular culture will not fully understand the show and the use of its characters; additionally Matheson says, “they will be reluctant to admit that they are missing something significant,” (291). Any viewer can agree that the show is family based because, it is about a family of five; whether all viewers can agree on the humor of the show being funny or
I chose to analyze Despicable Me, an animated film geared towards a younger audience, because I was interested in examining underlying theories and messages that this film would be relaying to its viewers. Often times, when watching animated films, children are not aware of these messages, as they are absorbed by the characters, special effects, and humor. But as we have learned throughout this semester, our brains are subconsciously primed by the various surroundings we are exposed to. Since we also studied the impacts of entertainment, such as television and video games, on children, I wanted to see how a popular children’s film might also affect them.
However, “The Simpsons” is still going strong today. The secret to the show’s success lies in its producers’ ability to understand the expectations of the television audience and the culture that surrounds them. This understanding, combined with “wry sarcasm, topical themes, and superb scripting that puts most other comedies to shame,” as well as some old-fashioned slapstick comedy, makes “The Simpsons” one of the most popular programs in television history. The show is often complex and highly intellectual, while remaining funny at the most basic levels. As Jim Gleeson states in The College Tribune, “The show is rare in rewarding attention to detail, with especially obscure references that… even if you had never heard of…you would still laugh, giddy with the crafted sleight of it all.”
Watching a hilarious cartoon on television may seem like the most relaxed thing in the world. However, ¡§The Simpsons¡¨ is not only a stupid funny cartoon to keep us laughing for joy but also a clever TV program mixed up with irreverence and slightly twisted morality. I¡¦m not saying that how much influence this show can bring to our reality. But I think it¡¥s very well written. Also it constantly reflects and spoofs our society.