"The Simpsons" and Gender Roles

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses "The Simpsons," which is the longest running primetime cartoon on American television. The author looks at how this show reflects and challenges stereotypical gender roles such as father knowing best, work, and education. The author explains the conditions under which "The Simpsons" was originally developed and how the content of typical family programming changed over the decades with the political ideologies of the time. The author also compares "The Simpsons" with other TV family shows, with respect to the frequency with which male and female characters appear, whether the plots revolve mostly round the male or female characters, and the themes of marriage, education, and how gender roles are perceived by the characters themselves. Each of the members of the Simpson family is looked at in detail, and the paper concludes that "The Simpsons" weaves traditional family values with contemporary criticisms of the limitations those same values create.

From the Paper:

"The conditions under which The Simpsons were originally developed help to shape the issues the show was able to tackle in its program. Timing was critical in the evolution of The Simpsons. In the 1950's family life on television seemed to only be diverse in terms of where the family lived, be it in the suburbs or the city. Shows often played up the neighborhood social bonding aspects from America's past in order to reach a broader audience."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cantor, Paul A. "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family" Skoble, Aeon J. et al p.160-178
• Erion, Gerald J., and Zeccardi, Joseph A. "Marge's Moral Motivation" Skoble, Aeon J. et al p.46-58
• Halwani, Raja "Homer and Aristotle" Skoble, Aeon J. et al p.7-24
• Holt, Jason. "Springfield Hypocrisy" Skoble, Aeon J. et al p.179-190
• Lawler, James. "The Moral world of the Simpson Family: A Kantian Perspective" Skoble, Aeon J. et al p.147-159

More papers on "The Simpsons" and Gender Roles:

• Analytical Essay # 111064 : "The Simpsons": A Family Analysis"
• Term Paper # 129343 : "Feminism and Gender Roles"
• Essay # 69752 : "Dorothy Arzner and Gender Roles"

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