Social Implications of the Animated Term Paper

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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 pledging never to let it happen again -- until the next episode -- or at least until they become unprofitable.

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Notwithstanding these positive themes, it is also apparent that animated sitcoms such as South Park and The Simpsons are replete with humor that is alternatively offensive to various religions, genders, the disabled and the elderly, in other words, everyone. 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......

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