Movies and TV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Movies and TV - Essay ExampleThrough complex and often contradictory signs, this possibility shows that quite a little cannot change their economic, political, cultural, religious, social, and gender conditions, because they subscribe to implied stereotyped myths that simplify their lives and renders complex issues of degraded humanity and declining culture as invisible. The episode depicts the complicated signs of myths in direct and verificatory manners, especially those pertaining to teaching and religious signs. People accept myths, where they are more than true (Seger 347). Myths connect and speak with many people. One of the myths in the Simpsons episode is the myth of a great teacher (Moore 404). This myth argues that a funny and creative teacher can change his/her students lackadaisical attitudes and behaviors toward learning and conduct (Moore 404). Lisas teacher aims to change them to model students, but in a bad way, because she has been recruited by the Movementarian sect already. The sign in the episode can likewise be indirect and contains conflicts, because Lisa struggles with her grade-sensitive personality and the need to assert her independence against social brainwashing tactics. When she falls into the brainwashing of society, the episode underscores the futility of fighting powerful institutions. Myths are better, because they make life simple and easier to understand. Another myth being dismantled in this episode is the myth of faith in God. The episode shows signs that directly attack sects like the Movementarian that takes wages of the weak-willed and weak-minded. It, however, draws parallel with the Catholic Church, because the latter also takes money from its members in form of donation and promotes truths about life and how it should be lived. The Church also uses seemingly hypnotizing, repetitious chants. The main argument of this episode is that God has been turned into a lucrative business. The hero symbol is also present wh en people idolize God, because glamour is invariably vulnerable to those who love it (Postrel 354). People want a savior, someone who is more than themselves and yet seemingly similar to themselves. The episode cautions people who easily fall into the pin down of blind faith, such as when people do not even check who that man waving inside the Rolls Royce car is and if there actually is a spaceship inside the barn. With the myth of faith and the superhuman God, people are lambs that can be led astray to their misfortune and death. The Simpsons also perpetuates and questions gender roles and stereotypes. Neuhaus argues that The Simpsons presents a comparatively placid appraisal of domestic gender roles (762). On the one hand, it playfully and humorously questions the function of the nuclear family in American society (Neuhaus 762). margarine always forgives Homer, no matter how insensitive and irresponsible he can be as a husband and father. On the other hand, the episode also imb ibes the centrality of female domesticity to the very definition of a family (Neuhaus 762). oleomargarine follows her husbands decision, although she feels wary about it. She is still under the male grasp. The episode, however, portrays a conflicting role, when Marge escapes the Movementarians community and seeks help from Reverend Timothy Lovejoy. She and the Reverend save Homer