Media Analysis: Modern Family

Gender stereotypes in the media are an example of some of the negative stereotypes the media pushes on society. They use advertisements targeting males and stereotyped female parts is in movies and shows to constantly reinforce the message “that a woman’s value lies in her appearance and sexuality”(Berland). This is detrimental to our society because all

In conclusion, the show Modern Family reveals several of these social issues that can be looked at in a sociologist perspective, like stereotypes represented in the family ideology, gender roles contradicting societal norms through Mitchel and Cam’s relationship, the pressure society puts in order to be accepted, and the impact of technology in our society. There are many social forces in television shows that have the capacity to influences the norms of society. These social forces can be looked at through a sociological perspective, whether that is by examining one’s sociological imagination, relating individual problems to social issues or through gender roles and social class. Although sometimes media can have negative consequences, it

Women, grandmothers, girls, boys, grandfathers, and men are all depicted in the media differently every day. Each television show, movie, football game, commercial, and broadcast contains at least one of the individuals mentioned above. My main focus will be on how men and women are depicted in the media. Ultimately, I do not watch much television but, lucky for me two of my favorite shows that I do get the chance to watch, air back to back on Thursday evenings. I was able to watch both of them within the two hour time period requirement for this particular assignment. The television shows I chose were, Grey's Anatomy, on ABC and Dance Moms, on the lifetime channel. I am going to use these two shows to investigate further into the

As previously mentioned, Renzetti and Curran, make several claims about the kind of gendered messages that we as a society receive via our favorite television shows. I selected three other claims to see whether or not they held true for “Malcolm in the Middle.” The first claim is that “female characters are more likely than men to use sex or romantic charm to get what they want. Men, in contrast, are more likely than women to use physical force.” I recorded each instance of use or threat of physical force and whether it was a man or woman who did so. Each instance of sex or romantic charm was also recorded according to which sex used that technique. Another claim was “only 28% of women are shown on the job compared to 41% of male characters.” I kept a tally of characters that were shown on the job or made any reference to their jobs. The last claim I chose to analyze was that men on television are rarely shown doing housework (one to three percent compared to twenty to twenty-seven percent of women). I kept a tally of each instance that a household chore was done and whether it was a man or woman who took care of the task.

In this paper, I will compare two artworks that share a similar theme of the portrayal of family meals. Also, I will evaluate a contemporary issue shown in artwork that relates to the theme of family meals. The first work of art, The Merry Family was painted by Jan Steen in 1668 and in this painting, it depicts the theme of the portrayal of a family meal in a joyous and amusing setting, but Steen was known for integrating subtle hints into his work. These hints warned the viewer about what is depicted in the painting. The second work of art, The Potato Eaters was painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1885 and it depicts the portrayal of a family meal but in a more straightforward and somber setting. Van Gogh wanted to truthfully depict the people and their lives. My comparison of the two, chosen artwork will show how they may share a similar theme of the “portrayal of family meals” but differ in the meaning, tone and emotion being projected by the artists. I will also explore how this theme is expressed in modern artwork, particularly Eric McCandless’s What ‘Modern Family’ Says About Modern Families.

With the shift of gender roles in American culture, comes the shift in how Americans portray characters in certain television and media shows. While the cultural norms and beliefs change as a country, so do the way people perceive the roles of males and females. In the 1950’s, it was normal for a female to be working on and at the home, taking care of the kids, and doing the tedious chores around the house. All while the male is at work, making the money to support the family. In today’s time, with many advances in women’s rights and cultural acceptance, these roles are not so specific to a gender.

The ideal image of ‘nuclear family’ used to be described as a male husband, a female wife and their kids; however, in few decades, the term family has become diverse without any blood-related relationships. Because of this recent change of family values, it is easy to find that present television shows also reflect the new concept of family and influence the recognition of the viewers at the same time. Among many TV programs such as ‘Simpsons’, ‘F is for family’ and ‘How I met your mother’, ‘Modern Family’ is a representative show dealing with modern family types and values. It is a domestic TV sitcom of ABC, featuring the lives of three different types of fictional families. Apart from the humorous stories, it becomes very popular because of suggesting that friendly characters are easy to relate to real life. It shows innovative aspects of family structures including a gay couple with an adopted baby and an interracial marriage between a divorced old man with a much younger woman. In addition, its form is a fake documentary about when family members agree to participate in interviews for a documentary, but they don’t actually realize how much they are revealing their lives themselves. Also, the main theme of the show is "But that 's the thing about family: no matter how badly you behave, hopefully they 'll forgive" (Modern Family Synopsis, 2011). The show has a favourable notice in media field because it handles social issues through its characters showing racial,

The television show 'Modern Family' is such that places its emphasis on "female gender stereotypes to further promote a male-dominant family ideology." (Lehmann, 2011, p.2) Lehmann reports that the tendency of the mass media "to

Over time the image of a family on television has changed, these changes highlight important issues in society - which can be seen through the comparison of Leave-It-To-Beaver and Modern Family. One of the main issues portrayed significantly is gender roles. In the 1950s, the World War 2 aftermath encouraged the traditional gender roles to be put back using sitcoms such as Leave-It-To-Beaver, which heavily highlights gender roles. On the other hand, 2000s family portrayal on television began to defy these ideals through switching the otherwise established roles of the mother and father in a family.

What once started as every day, regular people appearing on television shows have now morphed into celebrities and want to be celebrities competing for attention and doing almost anything to receive it on primetime television. The genre of television, which was once jumpstarted by the appeal of relatable people, who could be the viewers’ next door neighbors, being featured has since disappeared and been replaced by a monstrosity that does not accurately portray reality and often stereotypes people (Huff). One specific group that has been targeted by what reality television has morphed into is women. The new version of reality television is specifically adequate at encouraging gender culture, the set of behaviors or practices associated with masculinity and femininity (Huff). Reality television enforces gender roles and negatively impacts feminism in today’s society. Reality television sexualizes women, portrays them as dependent on and less superior to men, and exemplifies them as dramatic, catty, and often only as homemakers. The portrayal and stereotyping of women on reality television is demoralizing and can be described as “the contemporary backlash against feminism” (“Reality TV”). These false and demeaning stereotypes are prevailed in all types of reality television shows, making their impact extensive, considering Americans spend one-third of their spare time watching television and of that time sixty-seven percent is spent watching reality television (“Reality

Mass media has influenced gender norms in the United States since the 1950’s when television became a household phenomenon. Per Jacqueline Coombs in an article titled Gender Differences in the Influence of Television on Gender Ideology, she asserts, “television is a powerful source in disseminating information and shaping opinion, exposing people from many different social settings to the same messages” (207). These messages can influence gender norms and reinforce personal gender identity. Throughout the evolution of television, gender roles have expanded portraying women as leading character. However, there is still an undercurrent of patriarchal ideology.

Gender representations in television bear immense weight within society as they either: reproduce or critique societal values, address injustice or uphold mainstream beliefs, and perpetuate stereotypes or initiate change. Today, the problem with gender representations in the television medium is not a lack of visibility of women, as multiple genres include women characters, but rather the problem lies in the portrayal of women. Are the images of women displayed in a positive manner? Does the television medium accurately represent women? Although questions of accuracy and positivity in representations seem minor, these questions have major implications as people use television shows as windows for broader cultural practices. We must realize that the people we see on television programs

As early as 1950, television families have depicted not only the way we live today, but also the way we ought to live (Tueth, 2003). Hence, television has continued to present comedies about family life that ranges from the didactic model of domestic conventionalist and gradually to non-conventionalist ways of life. By conventionalist, I mean the depiction of the “nuclear” family that consists of clear roles, responsibilities, and gentle lines of authority that flow from the wise dad and understanding mom to the obedient children (Kutalas, 2005). Examples of these types of shows between 1947 to 1990 that constructed more than 60% of family sitcoms included: The Cleavers, The Cosby Show, Father Knows Best, Family Ties, and Growing Pains

Entertainment media shapes society today by reflecting current social problem claims through formulas and visual images (Best 150). For example, television portrays many stereotypes regarding gender and sexuality. Women, in particular, are visually portrayed as having weaker roles in the workplace, in sports, and in politics, compared to their male counterparts. A specific claim for women in television is that they are not depicted in the same ways as men are, and that entertainment outlets generally have ignored this particular issue. One media example that changed this pattern and addressed gender and sexuality, specifically with women’s experiences in prison, is the Netflix show, Orange is the New Black.

We have decided to conduct this study with the focus on three sitcoms from the 1980s which are Fresh Prince, The Bill Cosby Show, and Full house. In addition, focusing on three sitcoms for comparison in todays time, 2000s which are Full House, George Lopez and Family Matters. Each of these research samples display a variety of roles played, race, gender and change in family perception. There will be significant differences in the family structures as a function of time and race/culture of sitcoms aired in the 1980’s versus in the 2000’s. More specifically, it is expected that there will be a significant differences in the portrayals of family size, social class, locations, origin, and gender roles.