Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Assignment: Editorial Essay

Are today's TV families more realistic than before?

















Looking back, we can probably all agree that the sitcoms of the 50s and 60s showed us family life as we wanted it to be, not as it really was. In the world of Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver, every family member knew their place and there was no problem too big for mom and dad—but mostly dad—to fix. Fifty years later, TV families have evolved dramatically. Today's sitcom families better reflect our evolving society. For example, it is now not uncommon to see divorce, adoptions, and same-sex couples on family sitcoms. But while the trend has been toward more realistic depictions of families, have we really achieved a more accurate portrait of contemporary America? Do the TV families of today struggle with the same issues real-life families do, including pervasive unemployment, rising foreclosure rates, high education costs, and lack of healthcare? In which ways do today's shows do a better job of reflecting reality and how do they continue to fall short? In a concise editorial, explore the state of today's American television families, as well as the extent to which they truly represent contemporary American society. To make your case, utilize one episode from at least two of the following current sitcoms:


Additionally, use at least four of the following articles to support your thesis:

  • “The Fallout Over TV's Nuclear Families” (Los Angeles Times)
  • “Family on Television” (Museum of Broadcast Communications)
  • “'Cosby Show’ Comedy had a Serious Impact” (Boston Globe)
  • “'Roseanne’-Colored Glasses” (Baltimore Sun)
  • “'The Simpsons’: An Imperfect Ideal Family” (The Simpsons Archive)
  • “American Family Sitcoms: Early Years to the Present” (Cercles)
  • “How Much Have TV Moms Really Changed?” (ABCNews)
  • “'Modern Family's' Indictment of Modern Families” (FlowTV) 

 Requirements:

  • MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
  • 3-page minimum
  • Cite from at least four of the above articles
  • Include a works cited page 

The best papers:
  • Stay within the parameters of the subject matter
  • Have a concise thesis which clearly outlines an analysis of contemporary TV families
  • Are written in a voice that is casual, yet informed
  • Clearly support their thesis with solid evidence and a logical structure, citing from at least four articles above
  • Conclude with a summation of the argument
  • Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
  • Are in compliance with MLA Style

Sample editorials from various national newspapers:

Due: Th 5.3 (Sec. 05) / Fr 5.4 (Sec. 49)

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