Stereotypes Of Single Parents In Television

It is very well known to all that media is a big part of society today. It influenced how we see ourselves and the world to some extent. There are different types of media that is offered today, for example: TV, movies, radio, and newspapers. Within the different forms of media, women and men are represented in a certain way, all with different characteristics. In this essay, I will argue that there is similar gender stereotypes presented in the shows Modern Family and Every Body Loves Raymond, and how they differ from the show Full House.

Paycheck to Paycheck is a documentary that features Katrina Gilbert, a mother who lives from paycheck to paycheck. As a thirty-year old, single mother of three children in Chattanooga, Tennessee, she has to work really hard to provide for them. Katrina is struggling to get by and living in a trailer park. She works long hours everyday in a nursing home getting paid $9.49 and hour and even accumulates sixteen-hour weekends to make ends meet. She constantly ignores her own health because she can’t afford the medication.

In the documentary Paycheck to Paycheck: The Life & Times of Katrina Gilbert, the story of a single mother and her struggle to make ends meet is told. Living in a trailer in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Katrina Gilbert illustrates the challenges of single motherhood while living in poverty. Throughout the film the audience catches a glimpse of the difficulties Katrina faces with respect to raising her children, generating income, taking care of her health, and settling her divorce. With three children to take care of, Katrina has to always put herself last on her list of people to take care of, and in the documentary, we see how difficult that can be. Katrina Gilbert separated from her husband of ten years, whom she shares three children with, because

life of Katrina Gilbert and reveals her daily struggles as a single mother of three living below the

In The United States, two in five children receive food stamps reported the Census Bureau. Poverty affects people uniquely. Mothers naturally do everything in their control to shelter their young from hardships in life. Two moms, from the book The Working Poor written by David K Shipler chose diverse approaches to deal with the economic struggles that burdened their family. The women are similar; they are poor in life, yet unique in how they dealt with being indigent. Kara worked, accepted welfare, but considered acts of charity as pity. Ann chose part-time jobs to maintain closeness to her children, refused state assistance; however, accepted kindness from friends. Though the paths were dissimilar, each sustained both families with nurturing;

Paycheck to Paycheck details the daily life of Katrina who lives, like many more American women than one might think, in poverty. The social context of her situation is all too common and overlooked as merely poverty, people do not understand the gendered implications. Katrina finds herself in poverty due to her ex-husband’s addiction problem and after their separation things are not looking up. She even states that all of the income went to his addiction, prior. Single motherhood is anything but easy for Katrina

One of America’s greatest and most recognized classic television program is “The Andy Griffith Show”. The shows stands out in the sense that the main character, Andy Taylor, is a single dad raising his young son Opie. The non-traditional family made its way onto many Americas television screens and hearts through compassion, humor, and morals taught in every episode. The show aired in 1960, at the time, many single parent households were unheard of. Only nine percent of households in the 60’s consisted of a single parent. Though it never was discussed how Andy became widowed, he raised Opie with the help of his mother, Aunt Bee. Aunt Bee acted as Andy’s live-in housekeeper and as surrogate mother/grandmother to Opie. Though Andy Taylor made

The census statistics during this period shows a distinct transition in family dynamics and the growth of blended families across the nation. The transition to a broader definition of what marriage can be is what arguably has led to societies social shift to a larger acceptance of marriage that maybe historically didn’t fit what the media portrayed as the ideal marriage; like blended families, interracial marriage, and in recent years the shift to acceptance of homosexual marriage and relationships that even in the 1960s was portrayed in cinema. The ideal shift of a “perfectly imperfect” television family that obviously have face trials and tribulations but still provides a loving home for children and a vessel for moral teachings is something that we still see today on television. Full House is arguably an outcome of the progression from The Brady Bunch era that expanded the idea of what marriage and family could be. Full house is a form of a blended family in a non-traditional way. Instead of a remarriage you have a widowed single father with three daughters and his two male best friends helping raise them. Without previous shows like The Brady Bunch paving the way for non-traditional families, shows like Full House might have never been given the avenue to tell these stories of non-traditional families that were actively living in the

In the 1960s, they begin to blend a family together and the viewer begins to see a small change. The children start to argue and disagree with many things, the father is still the only one working and still the man of the house. The family begins to have arguments and situations but learn how to solve it by communication. In the 1970s, the children begin to think more modernly and start to think for themselves. The parents are older and the children are younger. The children begin to wonder; my parents are older and they do not understand me. The values of the children are liberal while the parents are more conservative. In the 1980s, the families begin to show humour, choices, and diversity. The shows begin to have dark coloured skinned characters, and freedom of speech. The children begin to engage in extra curriculum activities and have their separate social lives. The parents are strict but still loving, and the family thinks modern and up to date but the husband is still the man of the house. In the 1990s, the families represented in the TV show, become disoriented, their values are mixed up, eat unhealthy, and do not follow any morals or rules. The parents do not seem to care or worry about their children. The children begin to disrespect their parents and not pay attention to the rules. In the 2000's, the family is more dysfunctional, and less sophisticated. The

My brother played football in high school. He really enjoyed it. But he also enjoyed smoking marijuana. It affected his gaming because he would be too tired to try his hardest. I don’t think he should have stayed on the team. But the couches never knew. That’s why I think High school students on a team should have a drug test every 3 weeks. It will help with student grades, attitude, and physical ability.

A brief view of the 4 decades within the periods of 1950 to 1990 would show us a significant shift from the conventional nuclear family to the non-conventional modern family. Starting from the 1950s, the families were nuclear, where members worked together, understood their roles, and did what was expected of them; by the 1960s, there were a few sitcoms that began to undermine the television parent’s authority by privileging the independence of nearly adult or adult children; by the 1970s, the authoritative father began to disappear as they were no longer

Paul’s letter to the Galatians has been an significant piece of scripture to Christianity throughout the ages. Not only has it set the foundation for different formations within the Christian religion, but it describes the importance of faith in Jesus Christ. Having faith in Christ is Paul’s main point within the letter to the Galatians. Two biblical scholars, John R.W. Stott and Krister Stendhal have analyzed Paul and his writings. Both authors have good viewpoints and understanding of what Paul is explaining, but it is Stendhal who seems to have a better grasp on the true meaning behind Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit but the highest form of intelligence” (Gino). Admit it; we all have that one friend that is always sarcastic. There are always saying things that may seem nice at first, but when you think about it what they just said could have been a complete insult. This special trait that is used by people is called satire. Satire is defined as the use of wit, especially irony, sarcasm, and ridicule, to criticize faults. There is one person in our history that is the father of all satire, his name is Chaucer. Chaucer wrote in the medieval times and would talk about when women's rights and people of the church that were very hypocritical. Chaucer uses satire to reach his intended audience in his writings by coming across at first as nice but actually is being very sarcastic and actually insulting people right in front of them. Chaucer uses satire in, Chaucer’s Tales of Canterbury.

FAS of 1988 cemented the major shift in the characterization of poor women who were reliant on welfare from inept mothers to calculating parasites (Jordan-Zachery, 2009). Going from the unskillful mother who was viewed as incompetent to take care of her child and responsibilities to a calculating parasite that feeds off benefits and dependency of welfare. The imagery used was of the stereotype of the “Welfare Queen” attached to women requiring financial assistance levels out difficulties to deliver a stereotype, unavailing story of poverty. Similarly, the image of the teen mother welfare recipient straightforwardly endorses a great part of the language of welfare

Television is regarded as a significant source of information that plays an influential role in formulating an individuals social reality. As a tool that conveys the simulations of every day life it “may become a part of our social experience and serve as a basis for social judgements such as racial attitudes and ethnic stereotypes” (Fujoka, 52). Stereotypes are explained as widely held beliefs about a particular person or group. Research shows that “television images of minority groups might affect minority members’ self-concept and racial awareness” (Fujoka, 54). The portrayal of minorities on television were deemed by minority groups as a conception of socially existing beliefs toward their racial group. As such, television may have perhaps