Portrait of the American Family
America: land of the free, home of the brave. The capital of independence, rock music, hotdogs and baseball games. Everlasting days, big business and freedom. Who better to represent this unique country other than the All American Family: the Simpsons. Two parents, three children, a dog and a cat living in a suburban neighborhood where "everybody knows your name." At the head of the family is a middle aged, balding, husband/ father. Homer works at a nuclear power plant being the sole provider of the family. After a long day of work, he heads straight for the bar, "Moe's" where he and his friends drink the ultimate beer, "Duff." Homer goes home to be welcomed by a home cooked mean prepared by his stay-at-home wife whose only job is to cook, clean, and care for the kids. Marge is a passive character who mostly stays in the background unless she's bailing her son and irresponsible husband out of trouble or when she's driven to insanity to the point where her blue hair begins to fall out. Of course there is the son who is predictably the "troublemaker." Bart, a skateboard riding smart-alack who does poorly in school is constantly in Principal Skinner's office. He causes mayhem for the whole town whether it's
So of course there needs to be faster ways of eating and faster ways of living. So is society lazy as portrayed in the Simpsons, or are they just doing simple ways to buy some time? Both! There are many different pictures of the American family lazy, busy, etc; the show provides jokes and scenarios that most people can relate to. To counter the rambunctious young Bart, there's the genius daughter Lisa. No longer are the days of the typical stay-at-home mothers and working fathers. Is it a mirror of what society was or is? No, it's a method of entertainment often making fun of the so called "common family. Even more common is having both parents in the workplace. She plays the role of the problem solver and moral enforcer, often encouraging her idiot father and pest brother to "do the right thing," and always concluding with a valuable lesson to be learned. If it was the definition of the "American Family," then welcome to America. So what is the purpose of The Simpsons; what is this TV show trying to say to the public. The mother who does nothing but stays home all day and takes care of the house, the husband that comes home from work picks up his feet turns on the tube with a beer in his hand, and the kids that are raised on cartoons and "crusty burgers. In the past women were encouraged to work in the home; it was thought of as their "role" in the family. Always getting dirty, into trouble, and causing havoc where ever he goes. For example in Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood, the husband takes on the role of the "stay-at-home mom" while his wife is the provider of the family. A sweet little girl who loves to read and write, but unfortunately doesn't have many friends.
Common topics in this essay:
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Duff Homer,
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,
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Acceptance Essays
