Verified Document

Social Implications Of The Animated Term Paper

31). .This is not to say, though, that these themes and others are not examined. For example, Hank Hill's relationship with his father, Cotton ("I killed me fifty men") Hill explores the role of the elderly in modern American society, and even presents a poignant episode in which his father dies and he is forced to confront the mixed-blessing of this loss. Likewise, Homer manages to become more than a bungling parent from time to time and actually connect with his children in ways that would not be feasible in traditional sitcom formats. Homer and Lisa breaking into the Springfield Museum to see the Egyptian exhibit, only to discover the secret to an ancient music box by accident is a good example. Similarly, Bart and Homer even manage to overcome their differences and become a team when it comes to thwarting the good-natured advances of Ned Flanders (who is still friends despite Homer killing his wife accidentally).

Based on the in-class presentations, watching these animated sitcoms today reveals a number of these themes and topical issues being explored, but the overriding point being made is that these productions are for fun and should not be taken too seriously. Nevertheless, the writers of King of the Hill frequently succeed in presenting moral and family-based themes that are reminiscent of Leave It To Beaver and The Andy Griffith show where children are routinely doubted until they prove themselves to be worthy of adult admiration and respect, over and over. Fathers in family-based sitcoms engage in a variety of actions that transmit both positive and negative messages about their place within the family. This connection between animated sitcoms and traditional sitcoms is also identified by Pehlke and Allen (2009) who report, "These messages are consistent with the difficulty associated with fathering in contemporary families, a role whose expectations are often ambiguous" (p. 114). This theme of redemption and renewal is usually followed by the misguided adults admitting their failures and...

The offense, though, is just part of the fun and if people are offended by something presented on The Simpsons or South Park, well, they should know better than to watch it in the first place. For example, when Bart Simpson moons the Australian parliament, it is reasonable to suggest that America's Aussie friends took this joke in good stride, and were amused by such accurate observations as "Australia: 30 years with electricity" or the Australian prime minister floating in an inner tube discussing affairs of state because this is not so far from the truth. Indeed, South Park devoted an entire episode to poking fun at the Mormons, and no one has been sued as a result.
Conclusion

Animated sitcoms are not only a reflection of the society in which they are created, they tend to have an influence on the society in return. Clearly, animated sitcoms are viewed by most thinking people as harmless entertainment that should be taken with a grain of salt, thus accounting for their enduring popularity. It is reasonable to conclude that generations from now, people will be watching King of the Hill and The Simpsons reruns and wondering just what kind of people we were in the 21st century, but the harsh reality is that we were a lot like what they are seeing in these animated sitcoms.

References

Harrison, C. (2010). American culture in the 1990s. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Mills, B. (2009). The sitcom. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Pehlke, T.A. & Hennon, C.B. (2009, Spring). Does father still know best? An inductive

thematic analysis of…

Sources used in this document:
References

Harrison, C. (2010). American culture in the 1990s. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Mills, B. (2009). The sitcom. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Pehlke, T.A. & Hennon, C.B. (2009, Spring). Does father still know best? An inductive

thematic analysis of popular TV sitcoms. Fathering, 7(2), 114-118.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Social Psychology of Hate Groups Content Analysis
Words: 4796 Length: 12 Document Type: Essay

Social Psychology of Hate Groups Content Analysis of the Social Psychology of Hate Groups Over a decade ago, it was already apparent that the Internet had advantages for social organization on the part of marginalized groups -- and that some of these marginalized groups would pose a challenge, as they could be described as "hate groups." A survey of literature on the social psychology of the Internet singles out many factors why

Animated Sitcom While Many People
Words: 1568 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

This is, however, surprising because his thinking is antisocial and he is generally in favor of immorality. It is difficult to understand how society tolerates a character as Bart Simpson and accepts it for the trend that he virtually is. The fact that his father constantly uses violence against him is even more worrying, as children might be inclined to believe that violence is the only solution in certain

Social Criticism of "Luces De
Words: 6000 Length: 20 Document Type: Essay

According to Parsons (2003), "Coincident with the growing avant-garde fascination with silent film, cinema was becoming the ultimate embodiment of modern mass culture" (90). The "modern mass culture" that was emerging in Europe at this time was a reactionary one that became known as a bohemian lifestyle that was personified by Valle-Inclan. In this regard, his biographer emphasizes that, "His behavior at the time showed contempt for the rational world

Animated Sitcoms the Simpsons Throughout
Words: 1232 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Com, The Simpsons). The show is not just meant to critique the American society, as it addresses an international public, with many people from around the world being able to identify with a certain character in the sitcom. Individuals normally employ an experiential attitude in life and it is only normal for them to be influenced by factors that they interact with. "The Simpsons" can affect people's behavior without actually making

Animated Characters in Advertisements the
Words: 5194 Length: 20 Document Type: Dissertation

On the one side are those who argue against advertisements aimed at children due to a belief that children are uniquely susceptible, and on the other side are those who sell advertisements and advertising, such as ad agencies and business school textbook authors, out of a belief that advertising is able to effect product preference in any meaningful way. In short, both of these groups are incorrect, because advertising,

Corporate Social Responsibility in High
Words: 3626 Length: 8 Document Type: Thesis

There is nearly a constant influx of new technological developments in this industry as well, which only makes the task of staying current with them all the more challenging. The intent of this paper is to describe how Blizzard would be able to structure a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program that would financially support programming courses for lower income children throughout inner cities and rural areas. The essence of

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now