Chosen Sitcoms: The Simpsons and Modern Family
by haylee breann
1. Example of Gender Role(s) for sitcom 1: An example of a Gender Role in the Simpson's is shown many times through Marge's character. She is a stay-at-home mother, and a homemaker. She is expected to watch the baby Maggie, clean the house, and cook. Meanwhile, Homer is hard at work at the Power Plant providing for his family. When Homer comes home from work he sits on the couch and drinks a beer like a sterotypical husband/father.
2. Example of Gender Role(s) for sitcom 2: In Modern Family there are many Gender Roles present. Similar to the Simpson's, In the Dunphy family Phil is the provider and Claire is the homemaker. Their daughter Haley is a teenage girl who has a boyfriend, and is ditsy. Gender Roles are also seen in Cam and Mitchell's relationship where Mitchell is the provider and "manlier" one in their relationship, and Cam place more of the homemaker role.
3. Example of Race/Ethnicity for sitcom 1: The Simpson's does a good job at including many different races/ethnicity in the show. When they portrayed these different races they do it in a stereotypical way. Apu the Kwik-E-Mart owner is an Indian man who runs the store. I believe they chose that character because many people stereotype Indians to be convenience store owners. They also portray Fat Tony who is Italian to be like a mobster.
4. Example of Race/Ethnicity for sitcom 2: In Modern family ethnicity is shown in Gloria and Jay's relationship. She is Latina and Jay is white. Gloria often gets made fun of because of her ethnicity and how she does things because of being Latina. Claire and Phil do have racial privilege in the show because they are both Caucasian, middle aged people.
5. Example of Parenting Role in sitcom 1: An example of this that can be shown in the Simpson's is when Homer strangles Bart. Whenever Bart does something wrong or upsets Homer, he places his hands around his neck and chokes him. In the show this is suppose to be portrayed as humorous but is also an extreme portrayal of corporal punishment that many parents use.
6. Example of Social Class for sitcom 1: An example of social class in the Simpson's can be seen by how different characters are portrayed. For example, Mr.Burns dresses nicely and has nice things because he belongs to the upper class society due to his ownership of the nuclear power plant. Then there is Cletus Spuckler who is unemployed. His character represents the lower class/poverty in society.
7. Example of Social Class for sitcome 2: In Modern family, Phil and Claire's family is depicted as an upper class family. Claire is a stay at home mother, while Phil works a job that make a well amount of money to keep them living more thnan comfortably in a nice house and nice neighborhood. Phil and Claire's family never struggle to make ends meet.
8. Example of Parenting Role in sitcom 2: An example of a parenting role in Modern Family is how Jay treats his son Manny. Despite how he parented his older children from his first marriage, Jay now is a dedicated father. He teaches Manny how to be independent and also tries teaching him football and other types of "boyish" activities.
