Journal Article Analysis
Josh Dusenbery
Popular Culture HUMN 240
Professor Hamlin
October 26, 2011
Journal Article Analysis
The journal article that I chose to analyze was Marge Simpson, Blue-Haired Housewife: Defining Domesticity on The Simpsons and was written by Jessamyn Neuhaus. The article’s overall main point was the argument that The Simpsons cartoon “satirizes the mythology of sitcom suburban families and that Marge Simpson’s character reveals the fictionality of the televised housewife in subtle and blatant ways” (Neuhaus, 2010, p. 762). In so many words, the author is trying to point out that the televised housewife is unrealistic and basically not humanly possible.
The author starts their argument stating that when The Simpsons came out in 1990, they were completely different than any other sitcom families and behaved in almost the exact opposite way as we, as viewers, were used to. The author makes reference to shows like The Donna Reed Show, Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best. I could actually throw in a couple shows there myself like The Brady Bunch or pretty much any sitcom based on a family on television before The Simpsons came around. Since The Simpsons start in 1990, especially in the present, there seems to be a trend of shows that are following this formula. Shows like Home Improvement or Family Guy showcase the same formula in the fact that the dad of the family acts like a bumbling idiot and if it weren’t for the mom the family would fall apart.
Another point that the author makes is that the show also pokes fun at many parts of the American family and work life that was portrayed in the 1950’s sitcoms. Jessamyn backs this up with many examples within the make believe town of
Springfield. She points out that the teachers of the town squash any signs of creativity that is shown by the students (Edna Krabappel), the elected officials are corrupt (Mayor Quimby), the police officers are incompetent (Chief Wiggam) and the town is basically owned by a evil, wealthy old man who owns the only source of electricity to the town (Mr. Burns).
The author does defend the show by showing a few positives that other shows did not portray. The town of
Springfield is a very tight knit community where everyone knows everyone else and also the Simpsons regularly attend church, even if they do complain about it. This is a difference that I have never noticed between this show and all the others. I have never seen a sitcom where the family regularly goes to church. She then points out the main positive about the family; that they have one of the most valuable family values of all: a solid nuclear family. As much fighting as they do, they always seem to make up in the end and for as much as Homer messes up, he always finds a way back into Marge’s heart. The author points out many examples of this. Just when Marge hits her breaking point due to one of Homer’s many escapades or blatant neglect for his family, he finds a way to pull her back in again.
The author then moves on the main point of the article, pointing out how the show uses Marge’s character to poke fun at the housewife role in sitcom families. The author makes her point about this again by stating “There are many aspects of Marge’s role as a wife and mother that deliberately, and brilliantly, satirize the televised stereotype of a preternaturally cheerful homemaker” (Neuhaus, 2010, p. 765). Jessamyn then starts to show examples to support her claim about Marge. The first of these examples is the fact that Marge’s patented blue bee hive makes her 8’6”. Also, in regards to her trademark hair, Homer on occasions finds away to chop it off and in the next scene it somehow has grown back but when the kids shaved their heads Marge had to take them to get wigs. Another example the author uses is that Marge’s voice is the opposite of what you would hear from a televised family sitcom from the 50’s. Instead of a feathery, musical voice; you get a scratchy, rough voice.
The author finishes up the article by addressing the fact that even though Marge’s role in the show is poking fun at the fact that the sitcom moms’ roles are almost impossible and would never work in the real world. Jessamyn ends the article with the following statement:
The writers and creators of The Simpsons, like so many of us, have trouble even
imagining a home (at least, a televised sitcom home) without a female homemaker.
Even on one of the most innovative and certainly the most broadly satirical shows
on television, a woman’s place is in the home. (p. 775)
When I first read the article I thought to myself that the author was just reaching for something to write about. I thought she was reading too much into the show, but after reading the points that she makes I agree with a lot of the things that she talks about. She shows many examples that support her claims about how The Simpsons basically broke the mold of a typical family sitcom by poking fun at the “normal” families on previous sitcoms. Many of the sitcoms before The Simpsons portrayed the mom as the perfect house mom or “Suzie Homemaker”. Marge Simpson basically goes above and beyond this concept because of everything she has to put up with (Homer) and she is still able to hold down the fort.
This article, in my opinion, is not a very important one; it is however a good read. I liked all of the reference to different episodes that the author made, but as far as the importance of the context, I felt that it had more of an entertaining value. The only important piece of information that I took from this article is that The Simpsons did change the rules for how a sitcom family should act. Instead of being like the Cosby family, they made the show sort of the opposite. The author even makes reference to The Simpsons creating their own formula, an antisitcom of sorts.
Reference
Neuhaus, J. (2010). Marge Simpson, Blue-Haired Housewife: Defining Domesticity on The Simpsons. The
Journal of Popular Culture, 43(4), 761-781. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-5931.2010.00769.x
