Modern Family Stereotypes

Many movie writers incorporate stereotypes into their film. Stereotypes in movies can be good mechanisms to help the audience better understand the characters. For example, common stereotypes of cowboys include grittiness and determination, which helps to develop them for the viewer’s entertainment. However, stereotypes can also present characters in a negative light. In Madea’s Big Happy Family, Tyler Perry uses the motif of African American stereotypes, which includes rampant drug abuse, broken families, and inappropriate, disorderly behaviors. At its roots, his movie contains nothing more than the theme of pigeonholing African Americans.

T.V. shows are fun to watch. However, have you noticed that many T.V. shows have the same actors, in the same stereotypes, just because of how they look. But, have you noticed that many of these stereotypes have been taken to extremes? I believe that stereotypes in T.V. are unrealistic, and exaggerated. Stereotypes such as blondes being stupid, Nerds being weak, and awkward, and popular people being rude, all have been exaggerated by Hollywood to the point where it's unrealistic!

The Breakfast Club is a classic 1980’s film depicting the various lives of a group of extremely diverse high school students; each dealing with and trying to overcome their own obstacles and challenges. Despite the initial conflict between the characters due to them all coming from different backgrounds and social cliques, they soon learn that they are not all so different from one another and are each struggling with similar problems within themselves and their personal lives. They eventually learn to accept the differences between each other and realize the falseness of some of their internalized values and stereotypes that they hold against others and themselves. The Breakfast club perfectly exhibits how stereotypes effect our lives, illustrates

While sitcoms address stereotypes with humor, I believe they perpetuate beliefs that are harmful to society. In The Goldbergs, stereotypes were subtly incorporated by a member of the ethnic group it portrays, nonetheless the stereotypes prevalence alone caused the audience to subconsciously accept the stereotypes as reality. The show’s immediate conflict surrounding a hat and the possibility of infidelity reminded me of another fictional Jewish immigrant story, Abraham Cahan’s Yekl, which I read for an immigrant literature course last semester. Both Molly and Gitl, Yekl’s wife, face similar scrutiny from their husbands about how they dress and question their husband’s fidelity. However, Gitl loses Yekl to another Jewish woman he believes is

For most shows, the LGBTQ characters either a) get written off, or b) fall into heteronormative gender ideals. When a writer does decide to add a queer character seen beyond the use of the “one time experiment” episode, these queer storylines that end up formulaic and lacking substance (Kessler, p.1). These queer characters are usually depicted as either Lesbian or Gay, thus leaving the Bisexual and Transgender characters much harder to come by. In most situations characters and audiences react to bisexual characters just as Erica Hahn did with Callie in season 5 when she said, “you can’t ‘kind of’ be a lesbian.” (GREY’S ANATOMY SEASON 5 EPISODE 7). These were some of the last words that doctor Erica ever said on the show. Ironically this was

Fresh Off the Boat is an ABC comedy, based on Eddie Huang’s best-selling memoir of the same name, that has resonated with audiences perhaps in part thanks to its grounding in real experiences. Set in the 1990’s, it tells the story of a young Eddie, played by newcommer, Hudson Yang, and his experience moving from Washington DC’s Chinatown to suburban Orlando, Florida. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air starred Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, who is sent to live in an upper-class Bel-Air neighborhood from the streets of Philadelphia to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt as a result of a fight. Both sitcoms, Fresh Off the Boat and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air highlights the lives of two young men adapting in unfamiliar territory as they

True Blood is a television series dealing with vampirism that is aimed at an adult audience, which goes against stereotypical gender representations, especially those of women. Over the past forty years Feminism has been a recognised social philosophy amongst the thinking classes. However the media has remained male dominated throughout the years. ‘The Writer's Guild of America claims that 19% of television writers it represents are female.’

Claire portrays as the dominant and not inferior of her husband

Many people are aware of the reputation that goes along with PDA and as a result many people are afraid of the criticism and stigma that goes along with PDA. Thus, they are too embraced to participate in it. I remember having the same fears of being criticized by others around me with my girlfriend. I envisioned how the scene would go down in my head several times

Claire Zachanassian is a rounded and complex character. Born in Gullen to the working class Wascher family, she left the town in her late teenage years as a prostitute. She married the very wealthy oil mogul Zachanassian, and since then became one of the richest and most powerful women in the world. She also has been known to contribute to multiple philanthropic enterprises. In addition, Claire often sees men as less than, with her many marriages and male servants. As Claire comes into the play, she is an eccentric 63 year old woman, with red hair, a artificial leg and an ivory hand. She comes across as

"well back in my day" is a quote usually sterotyped to older people. that quote is completely accurate. in my family my sisters and I have experienced many generational; conflicts. normally involving what we wear, how we respect our elders, and how we have no responsibility nowadays. but as cliché as it soumds, times have changed.growing up with two older sisters I learned the dos and do nots with my parents pretty well. I remember an argument my eldest sister, Nicole, had with my Mom. it was oer clothing , see my sister had quite the excentric taste in clothing and on this particular day she wanted to wear something that showed a little more skin than usual. mom used the famous, 'when I was inhighschool we dressed more modestly.' then made my

The show Modern Family (2009) is a critically acclaimed television comedy sitcom. It displays the lives of three families who are quite different from the traditional American family that is normally portrayed on T.V. Specifically, the show focuses on a nuclear family, a step family, and a same sex family that are all connected through a relationship with the grandfather Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neil). On the show, Jay Pritchett is married to his second wife Gloria Pritchett (Sofia Vergara) who is a younger immigrant woman from Columbia. Despite the age and cultural gap that exists between the two, the characters genuinely love each other, and they raise two kids, Manny Delgado (Rico Rodriguez) and Joe Pritchett (Jeremy Maguire). However, prior

Today society displays greater diversity within households. Most American households are now non-traditional or unconventional. Non-traditional or unconventional families include; single parenthood, singlehood and LGBT relationships. Modern family is a comedy exploring the different “modern” families. This show explores a huge unconventional family through a gay couple, made up of Mitchell and Cameron, and their adopted daughter Lily; a straight couple comprised of Phil and Clare, and their three children, Luke, Alex and Hayley; and a multicultural family which is comprised of Jay and his much younger wife Gloria and their son Manny. Modern family explores how the present day family is defined and , modern America means for family members. Despite Modern family’s groundbreaking success in representing non traditional families, the show continues to reinforce heteronormative values through stereotypes of queer identity in regards, gender roles within the relationship, gay adoptive parents and gay marriage.

Modern Family is a sitcom that first aired in 2009 that focuses on many prevalent issues including cultural differences in families. The US was a nation founded upon immigration and now embraces the term as “melting pot” (National Review). The Pew Research Center reports that currently about ten percent of children are mixed race (VOA News). Many children have the influence of two or more cultures within their families. Yet the influence of culture can extend in the environment as well. Growing up with Chinese parents but living in America I can feel the impact of both cultures and I am appreciative of both. There are moments in Modern Family where we can see both the “melting pot” of the Delgado-Pritchett marriage and the tension caused by the different cultures, and I find there are reasons why the sitcom portrays both perspectives.

Race is a social construct that shows similar characteristics amongst a group. However, race once was thought of to be biological but it is now known that we are genetically alike. Some characteristics are related to, but not limited, ancestral roots, cultural practices, and the environment of which surrounds one’s everyday life. One main way to use race is to incite racial stereotypes and prejudices. As humans, we see differences and we categorize them, unconsciously. It is not until we are born that we learn that one race is superior or inferior to the other. Stereotypes are preconceived notions that reflects a race in a negative or untruthful way. One example of a stereotype is black men do not take care of their children. Prejudices are opinions that are biased like sexism, thinking men are superior to women. In African American families, racial stereotypes are diminishing the relationships. It affects the way we view ourselves, others of our culture, and those of other cultures.