Adamm R)))
04-14-2006, 11:13 AM
First of all I would like to point out that I could've slapped a poll on this and shoved it in The Voting Booth, but I didn't want to, because I want some better discussion. I don't want to get into that again here.
Three episodes have a strong theme about one of the family characters attempting to fit in. Bart is quite popular a lot of the time and Maggie is too young, but Marge and Lisa seem to be outsiders with other people of their age. Homer doesn't really seem to be but it is implied in his "fitting in" episode. All three episodes show different ways people attempt to fit in.
The first is Homer in Homer The Great. It doesn't so much show how he attempts but more what can happen. It focuses as Homer being an outsider who always wants to be on the inside. However, when he gets inside, he gets so much inside, it turns him into an outsider again. I won't go too much in depth, David Mirkin does explains it in the commentary. One big point in the episode that helps illustrate this is the scene where he is identified as the chosen one. Mirkin explains the 'stone of triumph' joke in the commentary. He talks about good things turning out to be a bigger weight around your neck, then bad things. This ties-in with the whole theme of the episode, when good things happen, you can just make things worse.
The second and third are more closely linked and concentrate more on how the character attempts to fit in and what happens. This is most likely because the characters seem more like outsiders. The second is Marge in Scenes From The Class Struggle In Springfield. This episode shows how people idolise people that appear to have a better life and long to be part of their group. When Marge does get in, it turns her against the people who were in her original place, her family. She then realises that she doesn't have to put in that much hard work to gain happiness and that true happiness is where she was already. The final Krusty Burger scene really wraps this up nicely and delivers a 'feel comfortable where you are' message.
The third is Lisa in Summer Of 4 Ft 2. This involves Lisa completely re-inventing to become someone she's not, so she can fit in. This shows a new side to Lisa's personality as she never really wanted to be popular before. Instead of having an ending where she forgets about popularity and feels good where she is like the other two, this one takes a different route and concentrates on how her friends react when they find out about her previous personality. This is resolved when her friends tell her that they don't care about who she was, only who she is, which makes her feel comfortable with her social state, similar to the other two.
All three are very different and for me Class Struggle is the most effective in showing 'fitting-in' (although definately not the best overall episode out of the three). The Krusty Burger scene just gives a really strong message for me and the squeaky voiced teen's comment puts things into perspective about not caring where you are.
There's my attempt at more in-depth discussion, hopefully I didn't point out the obvious too much. Which is most effective to you and why? One sentence answers are banned from this thread. Discuss.
Three episodes have a strong theme about one of the family characters attempting to fit in. Bart is quite popular a lot of the time and Maggie is too young, but Marge and Lisa seem to be outsiders with other people of their age. Homer doesn't really seem to be but it is implied in his "fitting in" episode. All three episodes show different ways people attempt to fit in.
The first is Homer in Homer The Great. It doesn't so much show how he attempts but more what can happen. It focuses as Homer being an outsider who always wants to be on the inside. However, when he gets inside, he gets so much inside, it turns him into an outsider again. I won't go too much in depth, David Mirkin does explains it in the commentary. One big point in the episode that helps illustrate this is the scene where he is identified as the chosen one. Mirkin explains the 'stone of triumph' joke in the commentary. He talks about good things turning out to be a bigger weight around your neck, then bad things. This ties-in with the whole theme of the episode, when good things happen, you can just make things worse.
The second and third are more closely linked and concentrate more on how the character attempts to fit in and what happens. This is most likely because the characters seem more like outsiders. The second is Marge in Scenes From The Class Struggle In Springfield. This episode shows how people idolise people that appear to have a better life and long to be part of their group. When Marge does get in, it turns her against the people who were in her original place, her family. She then realises that she doesn't have to put in that much hard work to gain happiness and that true happiness is where she was already. The final Krusty Burger scene really wraps this up nicely and delivers a 'feel comfortable where you are' message.
The third is Lisa in Summer Of 4 Ft 2. This involves Lisa completely re-inventing to become someone she's not, so she can fit in. This shows a new side to Lisa's personality as she never really wanted to be popular before. Instead of having an ending where she forgets about popularity and feels good where she is like the other two, this one takes a different route and concentrates on how her friends react when they find out about her previous personality. This is resolved when her friends tell her that they don't care about who she was, only who she is, which makes her feel comfortable with her social state, similar to the other two.
All three are very different and for me Class Struggle is the most effective in showing 'fitting-in' (although definately not the best overall episode out of the three). The Krusty Burger scene just gives a really strong message for me and the squeaky voiced teen's comment puts things into perspective about not caring where you are.
There's my attempt at more in-depth discussion, hopefully I didn't point out the obvious too much. Which is most effective to you and why? One sentence answers are banned from this thread. Discuss.