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The family.

In societies throughout the world families are celebrated in many ways. They are often portrayed on sites, television, billboards and possibly every medium of social media. They are believed to possess strong characteristics. Such characteristics are known to shape the lives of children, create socialization, sets the institution of marriage and function as a major contributor to the existence of society. The family has been around for ages. Dating back to as far as biblical times and on historical events as well as sociological framework. The family is believed to have gone through many changes. The “Modern” type of family of our generation might not be the ideal type of family that we know traditionally. In our eyes today we will witness some differences in the structures of the family as it relates to role plays, sexual oriented-inclusivity and many other factors contributing to the change in the type of families we know.

Sociologist George Peter Murdock, at a starting point in his class cross national study of families in more than 250 societies, defined the family as: a social group characterized by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction (revisesociology.com). He added that the family would include both sexes, where two must maintain a sexual relationship and one or more children, own or adopted of the sexual cohabiting adults. The family may also be defined as a group of people who are related by either blood or marriage/ similar form of committed relationship.

The family is portrayed in many media representations. One known form is called “sitcom”. Situation comedy is a television drama series made up of discrete episodes of the same characters, usually in the form of a family. They “sitcoms” started sometime during the early mid 1900’s. It is believed that they emerged as a prime example of post-war affluent American society, portraying a ‘family’ and their interactions. These family sitcoms reigned as the shows the entire family could sit down to watch and enjoy; it basically had something for everyone. The typical family consisted of the mom, dad, two, maybe three or more kids of varying ages living in a suburban house together. Dad works, mom does too. Their lives revolve around school and work, but they take place mostly in the shared domestic spaces of the house; the disproportionately large living room and even the roomy kitchen. Family Sitcoms has been part of the American television for over 60 years. They are also aired on radio stations, television programs and even online, giving persons, not only in America but also around the world an opportunity to witness the creation of an entertaining portray of what a ‘family’ possesses. According to an online article on family sitcoms; dated (November 02 2015, written by Manuel Betancourt): “family sitcoms were known to be both a hook and a mirror. Dad, mom and children each latched on to different characters on screen” basically depicting a family type with different characters in identification exploiting new homebound technology as the family is said to be experiencing changes as time goes by. Many of these shows were awarded for their efforts providing that they meet the needs of viewers. Around 1989-1990, 14 of the top 50 Nielsen-related shows were family sitcoms. Many shows like Roseanne and the Cosby show topped the list. In comparison to recent data on sitcoms successes showed that during the same season, it was believed to be the most successful for family sitcoms. The Nielsen-related show of the 2014-2015 seasons saw a deduction in sitcoms representation, earning only six of the top fifty as compared to the previous ratings from the late 1980’s. In an effort to solicit the aims of this essay, the researcher will expand on the changes of the family as represented on family sitcom, providing details on the changes and acceptance of the family.

In reiteration the family has undergone many changes over time. These changes in the family involves the inclusivity of Gay marriage and relationships, Single-parents with children, divorced households, and more so extended families that carried a predominance in society. These characters are a result of some of the change the family has drastically encountered. Another change is race. Even though some sitcoms might have provided an image of a family, it still did not solicit a fair diversification of color and race. Most families portrayed were white families. Leaving behind blacks, Hispanic, Asian and even mixed. To date that is still the case, as predominantly white families have overcome the sitcoms of our time. What then is the real representation of the family?

The Modern Family. (September 2009-Present)

This situation comedy was first aired on ABC on the 23 of September 2009. This sitcom focuses on Jay Pritchett and his family, living in the suburban area of Los Angeles. The family includes Jay’s second wife; a Columbian born, her son from another marriage and their younger son. In addition it focusses on Jay’s two adult children, one who is Gay and married to his partner and raising their Asian adopted daughter. Also Jay’s eldest child who is married to her husband Phil Dunphy and raising their three children consisting of two girls and one boy. (“Jump up^ Bernstein, Jonathan ”Parks and Recreation: The last great American sitcom? –Telegraph”) 2nd. Though the show centers on three different nuclear family, collectively because each family is often crossing each other personal space it would give the impressions of an extended family. The dynamics of the various families do make for comedic situations which is the objective of such a show, though at times extreme. Jay has been divorced and remarried a younger Columbian Immigrant with a teenage son, with his own oddities. Poniewozik, James (December 2, 2012) {1st}. He then fathers a son with his new wife in his old age, Jay is however well equipped financially to provide for a younger materialized wife’s needs. Jays oldest child Claire who is married to Phil, works for her father’s company and raises three teenage children, in effect she is the head of the Dunphy household. The final family dynamics portrayed in this sitcom is one which represent a more modern day type situation “the gay family”, this includes Jay’s eldest son and younger brother to Claire, Mitchell who lives with his husband Cameron and young daughter Lilly.

In an effort to explain such a case one would say that indeed this specific example would represent a modern type family. It is important to note that such ‘realities’ would not have been accepted as sitcoms a decade ago. These changes would express illustrations of gender role change: where the daughter is the head of the house, Gay inclusivity and marriage like the son and his family, family type structures and diverse acceptable differences regarding the busy lifestyles of the parents and children. In addition, a more traditional family would be more humbled and only consisted of limited members, such as the nuclear set. These changes we experience every day and has created a real modernized family.

GOOD TIMES

Good times is an American sitcom which aired on CBS from February 8, 1974 to August 1 1979. It was known to be the first African American family sitcom. The casts: Florida and James Evans and their three children: James Jr, Thelma and Michael, lived in a housing project in a poor black neighborhood in inner-city Chicago. James worked various odd jobs just to keep the family going. Their efforts were to overcome poverty living in an area of high rise project building. James would do multiple jobs mostly manual labor such as dishwashing, construction labor and other petty jobs that would get him some cash. The family would struggle to support their children whose ages ranged between eleven years to eighteen years respectively. The mother did not work, so support was very stringent. As a prime example this type of family known traditionally does still exist today. However, it is portrayed very differently on sitcoms that are aired now and even in the early 2000’s. Most families’ live lavish lives, have career opportunities and experience freedom in many areas. This ideal ‘nuclear’ family example provided a mother who did not work, possibly only domestically, a father who took on the burden of providing for his family and children that only could have accepted what their parents could have provided. The gender roles here was clear, and the family portrayed such qualities that has seldom-dissipated in our generation today.

Modern day sitcoms has undergone drastic changes in the representation of the family at large. Its portrayal is believed by many to produce a family that does not relate to the ideal American family in our society. In comparison to the two sitcoms represented before, it is clear that as life goes by the family is changing drastically. Using the first example, the ‘Modern Family’s’ expressions of the family would provide an analysis about a type of family which does indeed exist today. However, their example still did not truly justify the ‘ideal family’ that we know. Modern sitcoms are known to be more entertaining, leading to a reduction in the true representation of the family . Though the second sitcom use did a good job traditionally, it still did not relate to the ideal family we have today. Moreover, the Good Times sitcom would be more relevant to the ideal family of our time. Excluding the drama that is usually expressed in media representations of what the family is. Their qualities both had what a family possesses in expressing what the family goes through on a daily basis and their characteristics in representation.

REFERENCE

1.Poniewzik, James (December 2, 2104). “Top 10 TV Series-1. Parks and Recreation”. Retrieved December 8, 2012.

2.Jump up^ Bernstein, Jonathan. “Parks and Recreation: the last great American Sitcom?-Telegraph” Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 2 January 2018.

3.https://revisesociology.com

4.https://mic.com/articles/127656/family-tv-shows-in-2015-dont-reflect-american-family

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