Literature often offers a social commentary on the time period during which it is created. Many of the world’s most classic and revered pieces of literature are satirical in nature and represent many larger issues facing the world at the time. Shakespeare, one of the greatest writers in the English language, often made social commentary on themes such as feminism, classism, and racism. Humor is a classic technique used by some literary geniuses such as Mark Twain, and is still used today as a prominent device in connection to satire. “The Simpsons” is one of the most popular television shows and is still relevant in popular culture after being on the air for so many years. It is recognized around the world as a beloved television show with high entertainment value, and merchandise is sold in stores everywhere featuring the characters and show name. It is substantial to study as a literary text because of its use of comic theory as an important literary element, conveyed through plot and characters to establish a social commentary on the modern world in a humorous way.
“The Simpsons” is a television sitcom in cartoon format that centers around a blue-collar American family. Each episode chronicles the lives of the main characters, Marge and Homer, and their children Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, as well as many minor characters that live in the fictional town Springfield. The show has been running since 1989 and is currently in its 26th season. Since it is the longest running prime-time cartoon of all time, many people who do not watch the show can still recognize the show’s main characters (Eikmeier 77). The show is known for its satirical themes as well as its frequent parodies of other popular culture texts. “The Simpsons” has arguably not been taken seriously as a piece of literature because of its use of cartoon and humor. “The Simpsons” utilizes comic theory, an art that has existed since the Ancient Greek civilization (Fink 45). Comic theory has always struggled to be taken seriously in the art world, as many believe that drama is a more relevant way to establish an important topic. Earlier forms of comedy that were considered “high comedy” were more sophisticated in nature, such as the British “restoration” plays (Fink 45). High comedy always focused on intelligence, while low comedy often focuses on physical humor, such as “slapstick” comedy (Fink 45). Cartoons are still seen as a “low brow” art form but have become increasingly more relevant in the academic world as of the twenty-first century. However, “the Simpsons” should be taken more seriously as a literary text because it often features direct ties to literature and has proven to be useful in helping students become interested in classic literature (Eikmeier 77). It also offers many lessons to be learned about society in general as well as more specific issues that are always relevant, such as politics, economics, human rights, and law.
“The Simpsons” offers literary value through its use of plot. The show offers little to no plot development and most of the main characters remain static (Eikmeier 78). Sometimes there are major plot developments, such as the death of Ned Flanders’ wife Maude in season eleven. In the episode, they are at a speedway and Homer taunts the men who are shooting t-shirts into the crowd, yelling “gimme a shirt!” (“Alone Again, Natura-Diddily” 2000). When they shoot the shirt at , him, it hits Maude and she falls to her death from the stands. Maude’s death is one of the only recurring plotlines in the show, adding value in that one does not need to have seen every episode in chronological order to fully appreciate the show. In this way, the show is set apart from many other television shows, Literature becomes worthy of study when it is set apart from other texts of its time and offers something different for the audience.
Characters are an essential component to “the Simpsons” and an efficient way the show communicates humour, satire, and social commentary. Each character is specifically crafted to represent a stereotype, social issue, or gender division. For example, Marge is a housewife who stays at home to care for the home while Homer works at a nuclear power plant to pay the family’s bills. She represents the traditional female stereotype that women should remain in the domestic sphere and run the home while the husband provides for the family. However, there are many episodes where Marge realizes that she wants more in life and explores other options for herself. In season six, she becomes a police officer. She does an excellent job, and Homer tells her “you being a cop makes you the man!” (“The Springfield Connection” 1995). She has also been a real estate agent, a bodybuilder, and a carpenter. There are dozens of characters in the show that offer the same type of social commentary, such as the nerdy comic book store owner, the sleazy bar owner, the Italian mob boss, and the money-hungry power plant owner. Often episodes will feature one of the minor characters in a spotlight and focus on a satirical issue that surrounds the stereotype that character represents. For example, in season six, the evil and greedy corporation owner Mr. Burns wants to steal the Simpson family’s puppies for a fur coat and must be stopped by Bart and Lisa, a direct parody of the classic story “101 Dalmatians” (“Two Dozen and One Greyhounds” 1995). Mr. Burns represents the greed of capitalist corporations in undercutting those below them on the societal scale and the lengths many of these organizations will go to for profit. These varying types of characters leave ample room for literary discussion and mirror the literary value of many works that have been studied throughout time.
In conclusion, “the Simpsons” offers audiences much in the way of literary value, from its use of comic theory to produce satirical commentary on society to its use of plot and character to convey this humor. By keeping a static plot that changes on occasion instead of regularly, the show has remained timeless and able to draw in viewers and keep old episodes on the air. The characters each represent an aspect or stereotype of society, from the immigrant worker to the fat police officer. Additionally, its main characters are so well-known one does not need to watch the show to recognize them, showcasing the show’s ability to penetrate modern society and popular culture. The comedic element has always been divided between highbrow and lowbrow comedy, but as of recently the two have been merged as a general comic theory that is used as an important and relevant element of literature. In today’s world, it is arguable that comedic literature resonates with audiences more than dramatic literature because of its ability to appeal to audiences of every kind.
Works Cited
Eikmeier, Ginger M. “D’Oh! Using The Simpsons to Improve Student Response to Literature.”
English Journal 97.4 (2008): 77-80.
Fink, Edward J. “Writing The Simpsons: A Case Study of Comic Theory.” Journal of Film and
Video 65.1 (2013): 43-55.
The Simpsons. Cr. Matt Groening. Dev. Matt Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon. 20th
Century Fox, 1989 to present. DVD.
