A Study of "The Simpsons"

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that one of the longest running series in television history is the animated series, "The Simpsons." The paper reveals that there are some important cultural issues under consideration in virtually every episode. The paper provides an ethnographic analysis, including an analysis of the verbal and nonverbal communication styles used in a selected episode and the cultural artifacts that emerge in the process. The paper discusses what types of new knowledge can be inferred from this episode and describes the culture that is expressed in the viewer's interaction. The paper concludes that this series provides a wealth of insightful and timely information that can be used to develop an accurate analysis of what is really important to many Americans and what cultural implications are involved for certain types of behaviors.

Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In this regard, Japp and Meister (2002) report that, "On April 19, 1987, America was introduced to the Simpsons, the title family of the first animated prime-time television series since the 1960s" (p. 63). Unlike the unrealistic versions of the American family portrayed in earlier series such as, "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Father Knows Best," "The Simpsons" captures the essence of family life for many Americans today. In fact, described by its creator and executive producer, Matt Groening, as "a celebration of the American family at its wildest" (Steiger, 1999, p. 1, cited in Japp & Meister, 2002, p. 63), "The Simpsons" provided American audiences with a critical view of mainstream social and cultural norms of the day."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Japp, P. M., & Meister, M. (2002). Enviropop: Studies in environmental rhetoric and popular culture. Westport, CT: .Praeger.
• Neuman, W. L. (2003). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (5th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
• Steiger, G. (1999). The Simpsons just funny or more? The Simpsons archive [On-line]. Available: http://www.snpp.com/other/papers/gs.paper.html.

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