How Did The Simpsons Appeal To The Middle Class

890 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: American middle class lifestyle

The Simpsons: Appealing to the Middle-Class

For this assignment I watched the show The Simpsons, which comes on the Fox network on Sunday nights at eight. The show is about an animated nuclear family and their everyday lives. The Simpsons targets the middle class families that live in the suburbs of America. The show mainly appeals to families that composed of parents who work at blue-collar jobs and have children, between the ages of 10-18. You can tell this from the commercials, how The Simpsons life style is portrayed and the jokes contained in the show.

The commercials seen along side the Simpsons apply to the middle class family. These commercials are meant for both the adults and the children who watch the Simpsons. One such …show more content…

Inside the store we get shots of the newest toys to appeal to the kids who are watching the commercial. The commercial then states that it has the most toys for the lowest price. This statement is meant to appeal to the parents who have a low income and can only buy toys that are inexpensive. Among other commercials that are viewed during The Simpsons are family vacation advertisements. One such one is of a family going to Disney world. The commercials states that Disney world has everything for everyone in the family. The advertisement shows the Dad playing golf, which is meant to appeal to the dads who watch the Simpsons. The commercial also shows the mom buying something at the gift shop, which is meant to appeal to the moms who watch the show. And finally the commercial shows the children going on the rides, which is meant to appeal to the kids who watch the show. Another commercial seen with The Simpsons is a commercial for a mini van. In this commercial the mini van …show more content…

He gets into a fight and is beaten up. Later his parents find out about his problem. His mom tells him to tell on the bully while his dad tells him to fight back and shows him how to fight. The parents watching can really relate to The Simpsons. They have dealt with similar situations with their own kids being bulled or getting into fights. While the kids who watch The Simpsons can identify with Bart and his problems with the bully. One other episode The Simpsons had to move because Homer lost his job at the nuclear power plant and showed how the family had to readjust to living in a new town. The episode showed how both the parents and children had to meet new people. Middle class families can understand the frustration that comes along with moving to a new town or cities. Like the Simpsons middle class families understand the hard ships in moving and readjusting to a new life. All these situations The Simpsons face everyday all emulate the middle class families that watch the

Show More
Related

  • Friday Night Lights Gender Analysis

    1442 Words  | 3 Pages

    The media is a powerful tool and has the ability to influence and change one’s overall perspective of the world and the position they play in it. Although Television shows such as Friday Night Lights are seen as entertainment by consumers, its storyline contributes to the social construction of reality about class in the United States.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: Everybody Loves Raymond

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    Younger generations and the more vulnerable in society can be influenced in avoiding peer pressure, but for the individuals filled with wisdom, the shows can reflect based on American modern society. Everybody Loves Raymond and Full House are great shows who faces similar life obstacles a typical person living in the US has today. As a result, most modern family comedy sit-coms are reflecting our society’s generations and the more vulnerable. Based on the success of early family sit coms, American’s adapted to a fast pace lifestyle with the help of modern

    Read More

  • The Impact of African-American Sitcoms on America's Culture

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Impact of African-American Sitcoms on America's Culture Since its start, the television industry has been criticized for perpetuating myths and stereotypes about African-Americans through characterizations, story lines, and plots. The situation comedy has been the area that has seemed to draw the most criticism, analysis, and disapproval for stereotyping. From Sanford and Son and The Jefferson’s in the 1970s to The Cosby Show (1984) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 1990s, sitcoms featuring black casts and characters have always been controversial. However, their significance upon our American culture cannot be disregarded.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Goldbergs And Modern Family

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this project, we were told to analyze two pieces of pop culture and report back the ratio of men versus women, racial minorities versus whites, homosexual couples versus heterosexual couples, adults over 40 versus adults 18-40, and the number of whole women versus the number of parts of women’s bodies. The pieces of media that I chose to analyze were The Goldbergs and Modern Family. I believe that the target audience for The Goldbergs is people who grew up in the 1980s because this show is supposed to be set during that time and references many things that those people could relate to. In addition to this, they tend to feature older people as the main characters in order to draw in their obvious target audience. It seems as though the target audience for Modern Family is young adults to adults. They feature more minorities and things that the young generation tend to relate to more. Both of the target audiences are made quite clear if you really pay attention to the programs.

    Read More

  • Simpsons Family Therapy

    1982 Words  | 4 Pages

    Today I received a referral from a family who is seeking help regarding their dysfunctional family structure. The Simpson’s are a nuclear family that is having difficulties living as a family. I have already spoken to Marge Simpson and agreed to find a way to get her husband and children to therapy. She has very high aspirations of attending therapy with her family because she has longed for a “normal” functioning family in which her husband and children interact in a much healthier manner than they do now. She described her husband of being careless, her son uncontrollable ate times, and her daughters disconnected from the family. We have set up the meeting for next week, Wednesday at six, when she believed her family would be more willing to attend and actually participate in the therapy session.

    Read More

  • Family Guy: One Big Dysfunctional Family

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    Family Guy, an animated sitcom about a New England family and their everyday dilemmas, is a way for viewers to see the comedic side of a dysfunctional family. The Griffins consist of Peter and Lois, the patriarch and matriarch, and Meg, Chris, and Stewie are the children(Family Guy). Every character is different from the next character. They are also weird in their own way. The television show itself displays feminism, structuralism, and gay and lesbian criticism. Each character in the show also displays those criticisms in a certain fashion. Family Guy can be offensive to viewers with its satire, and the way the show delivers its message can make the family and the other characters in the show seem dysfunctional.

    Read More

  • Impsons As Archetypes

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are stereotypes of different people and beliefs throughout American's thinking. From early on we learn to associate certain cultural differences to certain individuals. The cartoon representations on The Simpsons are a perfect example of such associations. Each character from the long-running, prime time television show is an archetype of individuals in the American society. Homer, Lisa, Barney, and all the rest give us a look at what "typical" Americans should act like while, at the same time, critiquing their attitudes and behaviors. The Simpsons is not the average cartoon show. Although it features cute, animated people and many humorous situations it was not meant for children. This is how the show's writers can get away with such a complex stereotype for each character. Adults and in particular American adults will understand references made buy the characters, their actions and thought processes. When picked apart the main characters of the show, the Simpson family, each have their own Americanized attitudes, which when thrown together encompass the typical "nuclear" family. To set the scene for this example, picture a family of five, all doing their various daily activities: the little boy skateboarding around the neighborhood causing trouble, the little girl at school concentrating on her music, the mother and baby at the supermarket, and the father driving home from a hard days work at the plant. All of a sudden the viewer is in this famil...

    Read More

  • Racial Stereotypes in Television

    1767 Words  | 4 Pages

    their culture. Television over the years has molded the minds of its viewers – young and

    Read More

  • The Simpsons

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    When the FOX network aired "The Simpsons" in 1989, the show brought the yellow-skinned and four-fingered cartoon characters named Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson into millions of American living rooms. This bent archetype of the American family, as well as the hundreds of zany characters that populate their all-American hometown of Springfield, fast became the targets of enormous criticism. Elementary schools banned T-shirts bearing the images of the Simpson family and their slogans. Former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett and even President George Bush berated the show as subversive and demeaning (McAllister 1494). However, a more careful investigation of the show reveals far more than nose-thumbing gutter humor--enveloped in sarcasm and comedy, "The Simpsons" offers a thought-provoking critique of American politics, faith, and the American family.

    Read More

  • Do The Simpsons Follow the Conventions of a Typical Sitcom?

    3116 Words  | 7 Pages

    They are like a factual family ... ... middle of paper ... ... Simpsons’. I disagree with his view, as The Waltons is an outdated family that is not very realistic and is stereotypical, whereas The Simpsons deal with real life issues. Mel Gibson believes that ‘you can learn all life’s lessons from watching The Simpsons’.

    Read More

  • Everybody Hates Chris

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since television came into existence, it has evolved into a useful tool to spread ideas, both social and political, and has had a great effect on the generations growing up with these heavily influential shows. To these younger generations, television has taken the role of a teacher, with the task of creating a social construction by which many of us base our personal beliefs and judgments on. This power allows television shows take the opportunity to address problems in a manner that many audiences can take to heart. Many television shows present controversial topics in a comical matter, in some ways to soften the blow of hard-hitting reality at the same time bringing attention to the issue being addressed. In the television show, Everybody Hates Chris, season one, episode four entitled “Everybody Hates Sausage”, the stereotypes that continue to fuel racism are examined in a satirical motif, and class is presented in a comical way, but carries serious undertones which present a somewhat realistic view of the different social strata within the United States.

    Read More

  • The Impact of The Simpsons on American Children

    2526 Words  | 6 Pages

    Life in Hell drew the attention of James L. Brooks, producer of works such as

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity: Fast Food Companies Are To Blame

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    Commercials make the viewer think about the product being advertised. Because of the amount of television children watch throughout the week, it allows the children to be exposed to the information over and over again. Per year, children are known to view thousands of fast food commercials. On a daily basis, a teen will usually view five advertisements and a child aged six to eleven will see around four advertisements (Burger Battles 4). Businesses use this strategy to “speak directly to children” (Ruskin 3). Although the big businesses in the fast ...

    Read More

  • Teenage Humor

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    The television programs that most teenagers watch are The Simpson’s, Friends, and That 70’s show. The Simpson’s is a program that is aired on Fox and it is a cartoon. The Simpson’s is about a middle-aged man named Homer. He is a dumb-founded idiot that works at a nuclear power plant. We laugh at him because he makes so many mistakes even if they are the easiest task. Bart is a ten year old kid who gets into trouble more then once a day. He gets into trouble at school and even when he is walking down the street to go home. He is like an average ten year old kid that likes to get into mischief. Bart is just a trouble maker that doesn‘t know when to behave himself. His sister Lisa is a straight “A” student that is on the Honour Roll, and plays the saxophone in the school Band. Every little girl would like to be Lisa because she is very mature for an eight year old. Marge is the mother of both Bart and Lisa. She is a homemaker and isn’t very funny. Bart and Homer are the prime targets for funniness in this series.

    Read More

  • Advertising and Its Impact on Children

    1554 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers. Children sing the catch phrase over and over throughout the entirety of the commercial. By the time the commercial ends the line and products are inevitably stuck in a child’s mind. The commercial says”.and my mom says. that’s okay,” which implies to children that their parents will allow them to eat this snack.

    Read More

More about How Did The Simpsons Appeal To The Middle Class

Open Document