An Exploration into the Representation of Families in Sitcoms Essay

The purpose of my exploration is to scrutinise whether family stereotypes within the media are merely exaggerations, or whether they are accurate observations. I have focused mainly on sitcoms as they are known for their absurd situations and characters, but they have a hint of truth to them at the same time. I narrowed this exploration down to three famous British sitcoms: Outnumbered, Only Fools and Horses and The Royle Family. I mainly wanted to challenge the viewpoint that all sitcom characters are created for humour, rather than for being similar to our own family members. Roy Stafford defined sitcoms as ‘a setting and a group of characters providing the opportunity for a comic narrative’ (Stafford, 2004). Most British sitcoms are based on the concept of families, and build on these characters throughout series and episodes. Typical family members might include a grumpy Grandad or boisterous brother for example. In Only Fools and Horses, they base the early episodes on two brothers and a Grandad, later becoming two brothers, their wives and their war veteran Uncle. The main stereotype from the show was that the brothers were very argumentative towards each other but remained close throughout, and the Grandad – or Uncle – was a forgetful and dopey, but loveable man. They were frequently put into tricky – arguably unrealistic – situations but the main outcome was an equilibrium whereby they were all a wholesome family, no matter how bad the foregoing conflict was. This is something very common amongst television shows and comes under Todorov’s narrative theory of a status quo at the start followed by a disruption but finally ending with the same equilibrium as seen in the beginning, which is somewhat unrealistic in real family lives. The show may originate from the early 80s, but shares many common elements to those 30 years on and remains as relevant as ever. After observing an episode of Outnumbered, I noticed how different the narratives were but how similar the overall message and moral was to Only Fools and Horses. The sitcom is based on a set of parents with a young son and daughter, and a teenage son living in a semi-detached house in the south of London; a fairly normal setting and one that the audience can relate to. The character Ben is a prolific liar, whilst his sister Karen is a smart and argumentative girl and Jake is an average, mood-swinging teen. The mother and her sister argue frequently; the Grandad is battling early signs of dementia – which is used comically but sympathetically at the same time – and the lugubrious father’s parents are separated and have a huge hatred for one another. These differences in character and their situations create a â€Å"dysfunctional family redeemed by love† in the words of Ben Dowell (Dowell, 2008). Erving Goffman stated that ‘life itself is a dramatically enacted thing’ henceforth the dramatisations featured in the show are very similar to our own families and their attitudes and roles (Goffman, 2009). These characters are all very significant for audiences that are in, or have been in, similar situations within their families, with their parents being ‘outnumbered’ by their children and the hectic household getting the better of them. Ben Dowell said in an article in the Guardian: ‘These are the kind of parental vignettes that are convincing many that British comedy has finally succeeded in telling the embarrassing, ridiculous and frustrating truth about modern, competitive child rearing’ (Dowell, 2008). This quotation reiterates the point that British sitcoms are becoming increasingly accurate as time goes on, and the mundane, understated humour is effective in proving how spot-on comedies can be. The Royle Family is a comedy sitcom from the early 1990s based on a family from Manchester and is mainly set in the family’s house – and mainly their living room. The house is frequently in the mid-stage of decoration due to the laziness of Jim, and the majority of the family’s time is spent in the living room sat around their television, which is symbolic of the idea that modern family life is dominated by technology and that we steer clear of activities and exercise. The short-tempered, sarcastic father Jim rarely moves from his armchair and takes the ‘man of the house’ role into great effect, with his hard-working wife Barbara taking a more family-orientated role and looking after her kids and husband consistently. Denise is their daughter and takes on the average blonde style character, and remains incapable of looking after her kids whilst her husband Dave is a kind-hearted but has an apathetic attitude – of which Denise exploits. Antony is mistreated by his parents due to his typical teenage antics and attitudes, and Norma is a sweet old lady that Jim despises. There is certainly diversity between the characters, and arguments occur frequently, but there is a hidden bond between those who may seem to dislike each other. This is once again a fine example of the dysfunctional family that surprisingly works well, and it is clear that they have shared memories that make this bond stronger and this uses the clichà © of ‘you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’. This style of show may be most realistic to close families who watch television religiously and were brought up in a lower class background. In conclusion, I believe that the aforementioned sitcoms are very accurate in describing family life albeit in a comedic way. The dismissal of a laughter track in all three of the shows add to this realism, and the use of one setting in the majority of the episodes create the idea that modern families in fact spend most of their time together rather than out socialising. The simplicity of the three shows also adds to this, and connotes the idea that our idea of fun in modern times is being with one another watching television. The roles of the characters are also very accurate as I believe at least one of the roles is easily recognisable for the audience; i.e. the sarcastic manner of Jim from Royle Family or the argumentative but clever nature of Karen from Outnumbered. In one way or another, these sitcoms can be related to by their audience and is a very good, although occasionally exaggerated, way of showing just how unpretentious our lives are. Works Cited Dowell, B. (2008, December 6). In their own words: sitcom lets kids improvise. Retrieved 2 10, 2012, from Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/06/television-bbc Goffman, E. (2009, June 9). The Presentation of Self in Everday Life. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from Slide Share: http://www.slideshare.net/Wellingtonisgreat/goffman Stafford, R. (2004, February 1). TV Sitcoms and Gender. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from Media Culture: http://www.mediaculture-online.de/fileadmin/bibliothek/stafford_sitcoms/stafford_sitcoms.pdf

The Scarlet Letter Creative Assignment Paper

Various Hester Prynne Diary Entries June 14th, 1641 This morning I awake in the prison, waiting for guards to take me to the market place. Pearl and my fate will be decided very soon and I am shaking with anxiety. What will become of us? Will it be that the people see the need of the death punishment? Perhaps they will take dear Pearl away from me! Oh I am trembling with fear. Pearl is sleeping in the corner and she is the most beautiful sight I've seen. Here comes the guards†¦ I pray to the father that Pearl and I can live through tonight. Hester PrynneJune 16th, 1641 I have been sentenced to 3 hours on the scaffold while the whole town gawked and spoke gossip about me. I also must wear the mark of the Scarlet Letter upon my breast for the rest of my life. The day of the sentence, I saw Roger in the crowd†¦ Oh the poor man, what have I done! He visited me yesterday in the prison as well. I was wary that he was going to hurt Pearl or myself. He sure is itching for some reve nge from the father. I didn't disclose who it was but he seemed pretty intent on finding out himself. Oh I pray he never finds out.In the meanwhile, I will be living on the edge of the forest doing various needlework jobs for people in order to keep my head above water. Hester Prynne August 3rd, 1641 Pearl becomes more brilliant each day. Often times I think about her name and how much it means to me. â€Å"Pearl†, as in bought with a great price – my only treasure. With such a sin that I committed, I was given such a lovely child whom I adore with every ounce of my heart. I make sure that I dress Pearl in majestic and ornamented clothing. She radiates love and beauty wherever she is. Once of the first things Pearl really noticed in this world, was the dreaded letter.Why must she be so intrigued by this symbol of pain that I must bear? Hester Prynne March 25th, 1642 Today Pearl and I took a trip to the Governor's Hall. The mansion was furnished so fancy and ornately. C olorful tapestries hung on the walls as well as portraits and armor and mirrors. The governor questioned whether I was capable of raising a child with all that I have done. I told him I would teach Pearl everything I have learned by wearing the Scarlet Letter and that it would be sufficient. When Pearl told them that I plucked her off of a rose-bush, it did not help their consciousness.I pleaded my case over and over and finally Mr. Dimmesdale came to my rescue. I knew he would stick up for me considering the circumstances†¦ All that matters is I'm back home tonight with Pearl. Hester Prynne June 7th, 1648 I cannot bear to stand what Roger is doing to Dimmesdale. He is mentally and emotionally destroying the man. Oh the guilt, and sorrow that must plague him. I have escaped this easily. I have been forward about the sin on my part. Whereas he must pretend nothing has ever happened and let it eat away at his consciousness. Oh the poor man. I wish I could do something to help! He ster PrynneJuly 18th, 1648 Dimmesdale is looking worse and worse. I ran into him in the woods today by the brook. We've concluded that we should run away. We could start a new life back in London and wash away all remnants of this life. We could change our names, and I could dispose of this letter. I will start to make plans. I really hope Pearl warms up to him. The girl knows nothing but her mother and the letter. She was mighty apprehensive when I took the letter off today. It's such a shame she finds comfort in that, for it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulder. She will warm up to him and me, I know it. Hester Prynne

Most Difficult Thing I Ever Learned to Do

â€Å"the most difficult thing I ever learned to do† Most pepole have learned many things to do and some of the learning is the hardest of the others . For me ,The most difficult thing I ever learned to do in is how to live as an immigrant . Most of all,The lack of English proficiency was a barrier to a better life. When I came to the United States ,I couldn't find any word to express my self in English. Learning english was not easy for me especially when you want to learn academic English as third language .However ,my friends said â€Å"If you do feel that English is not easy don't worry you are not the only one â€Å". I know that who I am not the only onehas this problem. I don't give up, I'll try to do my best as good as possible. The second reason why moving to the United States was so hard to me,living to a different country has opened my eyes to many cultural differences. I was not sure If american society would accept me or if any one could ever talk to me. Iran ha s a very different cultural background in the ways of seeing things,traditions,and interpreting the world .I often felt torn between the U. S. culture and culture of mine. It took time to overcome these problems and communicate effectively across cultures. Another reason ,Since I lived with my parents I had never experience living alone . As an independent person , I have a lot of things to handle them such as working and money mangment . I can't imagine how could I organize all of these by myself . Probably, living independently can brings to be more responsiblility,but for me it was one of the hardest things I hade to leran in the U.S. The Last reason things were difficult for me , I had to control my emotions . When I migrated to another country ,I began a new life without support and attention of my family . I became far away from Enviroment which was full of sweet bitter memories and this fact got me depressed. After several month,I found some way to control my emotions and to make myself happy . Now , I think living in U. S. is the hardest thing i learned to but definetly It taught me â€Å"the past is past , live now† and I can it do if I want to do.

What Makes a Student Successful

What Makes a Student Successful? Marie Biays ENG102 – English Composition Colorado State University – Global Campus Professor Jennifer Naimark November 10, 2012 What Makes a Student Successful? Some would say success is based on the determination of the student or how well of an educator a teacher is. I believe that success is based on my determination. I do not quit anything I have started. Quitting to me is the easy way out. There are certain deeds that a person can take in order to become a good student. In order to do so, he must embody certain characteristics.These characteristics are innate for many, but those who do not currently have them can develop them. Just as someone can take actions to become a good student, he can also take actions to develop the characteristics of a successful student. Develop an attitude and passion for learning by remaining curious and inquisitive. Use your curiosity to help you become a professional researcher. Remember to have an ope n mind and to remain as objective as possible while conducting research. Stay open-minded in order to use the information collected during research, to develop analytical and critical thinking skills.Become the type of student that studies academics instead of one who simply attends classes. Take the initiative to study on a daily and regular basis without requiring instruction to do so. Make learning a priority; this is a hard one for me because reading is not one of my favorite things to do. Have confidence and believe in your academic abilities. Be tenacious and persevere. Never succumb to an attitude of mediocrity. Responsibility is another characteristic every college student must have in order to be successful.Students who are responsible know what their tasks are and are always a step ahead. For example, if there is a party the night before an exam a student who wants to do excellent will study instead of going to the party (2008, 09, Characteristics of Successful College Stu dents). Develop self-discipline by using time wisely. Do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of what you may not feel like doing. Refrain from being a procrastinator; another hard one for me, but I am working on it. Be continually and consistently prepared.Managing your time well helps you to stay on top of your work and to succeed as a student. If you've been assigned a heavy load of homework, use lunch hours and breaks to complete your assignments. Limit distractions by working in a quiet area such as a library, coffee shop or home office. Call a study partner when you need help, and take regular breaks to help you focus and stay on track. Developing listening skills will assist you in becoming a good student. But it’s not as easy as simply listening to the lecture or the lesson plan being presented.Concentrate on the subject matter, not how it is delivered to the class. Limit distractions by turning off all your electronic devices and going to a qui et area in your home or a nearby library. If you find yourself not paying attention, stay on track by taking notes and developing questions to ask your instructor. Be humble and realize that you can always learn more regardless of what you may already know and understand. Listen to and learn from your instructor. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others.I am confident that if I develop the habits outlined above that I will see a major improvement in my academic success. In fact, I have already developed some of the habits outlined above and I have seen an improvement in my academic success. I look forward to more improvement! References (2008, 09). Characteristics of Successful College Students. StudyMode. com. Retrieved, November 10, 2012, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Characteristics-Successful-College-Students-164896. html [Web log message]. (2011, July 29). Retrieved from http://blog. chegg. com/2011/07/29/10-habits-of-successful-college-students/

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Health Care Reform - Essay Example Attorneys representing the state of Missouri allege that 71.4% of voters in this state are not in support of this act. Among dissatisfied voters are the elderly individuals receiving medicare. Under current laws excluding the passage of the Health Care Art elderly individuals qualify for specialized programs due to their age. The Health Care Act will eliminate many of these programs leaving seniors to pay large amounts for health care services. Virginia attorneys in a separate lawsuit claim the Health Care Act requires individuals to purchase health insurance coverage or pay additional premiums. With the choice left between paying additional premiums and elderly individuals forced to compensate for medicare benefits/programs lost many individuals are wondering how they are going to survive financially. According to Glover(2010), "A woman told Lauer she has to make a decision each month on whether to make the house payment or prescription drugs. "We shouldn't have to have those situat ions going," she said" (pp. 16). Under the new reformation of this act individuals that do not purchase health insurance will be required to pay an annual penalty of $695.00 leaving many individuals frustrated. However frustrations extend beyond these two states. Separate lawsuits have been filed in twenty-one states alleging constitutional rights are in violation.

Healthy People 2010 Indicator in my Community Essay

Healthy People 2010 Indicator in my Community - Essay Example As a community, our commitment to work towards the key focus areas and meeting of health objectives can be an indicator of a society moving towards its goal of healthy people 2010. Surgeon General David Satcher describes Healthy People 2010as "an encyclopedic compilation of health improvement opportunities for the next decade."3 The 467 target objectives of mission Healthy People 2010 have been broadly divided into 28 focus areas4: Access Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Chronic Back Conditions Cancer Chronic Kidney Disease Diabetes Disability and Secondary Conditions Environmental Health Educational and Community-Based Programs Family Planning Food Safety Health Communication Heart Disease and Stroke HIV/AIDS Immunization and Infectious Diseases Injury/Violence Prevention Maternal, Infant, Child Health Medical Product Safety Mental Health and Mental Disorders Nutrition and Overweight Occupational Safety and Health Oral Health Physical Activity and Fitness Asthma/Respiratory Diseases Public Health Infrastructure Sexually Transmitted Diseases Substance Abuse (including alcohol) Tobacco Use Vision and Hearing In the paper, I will be focusing on Asthma as an indicator of Healthy People 2010 in my community. Herein I will talk about: The prevalence of Asthma cases Its impact on the society The measures taken by us to make our community Asthma free by 2010 The measures taken for handling this problem successfully and overall access to quality healthy services for fighting this problem along with education awareness against causes and cure of Asthma will be instrumental in indicating the success of Healthy People 2010 mission. In the earlier times, only old aged people were known to suffer from respiratory problems like Asthma. But now-a-days, this problem is... In the beginning of the year, the health department of the United States released health goals for the overall country both at the local community and at state level, to be met by year 2010. The health people 2010 is a comprehensive report of key focus areas, our goals and objectives, as well as roadmap for promoting health and wellness and preventing diseases, disability, and premature death. Eliminate health disparities between different segments of the population, including those relating to gender, race and ethnicity, education, income, disability, living in rural localities, and sexual orientation2 Unless we as individuals take up our responsibility, it is not possible to meet the goals of a disease free society by 2010. As members of community, it becomes our responsibility to ensure that we work towards meeting the objectives of a healthy people community. The measures taken for handling this problem successfully and overall access to quality healthy services for fighting this problem along with education awareness against causes and cure of Asthma will be instrumental in indicating the success of Healthy People 2010 mission. The foremost reason for increasing problem of asthma cases in the community is exposure to pollution, inadequate facilities, and high smoking rate

Physics lab report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Physics - Lab Report Example The experiment made use of a glider placed in an air track and suspended on two springs. The setup is at rest and remains at rest because the springs subject an equal force on the glider; they cancel each other; it is at a stable equilibrium position. The force applied on the setup in particular direction results a net force that acts on the glider and tries to return to the equilibrium state. The combined forces pull in a manner that the resultant force takes It to the original position; determined as restoring force. When the glider is brought to the original position, it is still under the influence of velocity and therefore goes beyond the default position by overshoot moving to the opposite direction from the earlier force. The overshoot results in the whole drag to equilibrium starting all over again. The back and forth motion is referred to as an oscillation. Mathematically known as sine and cosine function; simple harmonic motion. To analyze the problem let x be an instantaneous position of the glider while x0 is the equilibrium position. When the glider moves from the equilibrium position, the restoring force is F. without applying too much force resultant forces are linear hence force equation is; It implies that when the glider moves away from the equilibrium, restoring force becomes bigger. F is proportional to x. k is the spring constant. The sign (-) represents the restoration character of the force in the setup. A positive different in (x-x0) indicates that the force is negative x direction. A negative (x-x0) implies a positive force direction. Given a displacement initially A = x-x0, F = -kA, and accelerates towards the negative x-axis towards equilibrium; x = x0 where the restoring force is zero. It passes beyond x0 to the opposite direction and arrives with x-x0 = -A at zero velocity and it is pulled back. This forth and back motion goes on and results to oscillations. Without friction, kinetic energy and potential energy remain the