AP English Language And Character Analysis: In The Simpson Family

Rose, Alex
Hoang p.1
AP English Language
13th December, 2012
Christian Thought: Animated For 25 seasons and 515 episodes, the animated sitcom The Simpsons has delivered countless laughs to the families of Americans. The show delves into the lives of a dysfunctional middle-class family in a bizarre community called Springfield. The Simpson family consists of a father, Homer, a mother, Marge, and three children, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The lives of this family take very unusual paths, however their personalities and actions deeply resemble that of a typical American family. With an obese alcoholic father, an anxious stay-at home mother, a sassy trouble-making son, and a kind-hearted gifted daughter, many viewers can parallel their own
Marge’s saint-like personality counters Homer’s drunk, careless one whereas Lisa Simpson’s kind-hearted, gifted personality counters Bart’s chaotic, reckless one. Lisa is by far the most intelligent and kind member of the family. Her actions and personality cause some religious scholars to believe that she speaks on behalf of Jesus. When analyzed, Lisa’s actions parallel those of Jesus’ on many levels. First of all, her main goal in life is to do good in the world. She supports the poor and is critical of the rich and she often helps the homeless and poor. Second, she questions conventional wisdom, despite her unpopularity while doing so. Much like Jesus, who questioned the ways humans served God religiously, Lisa questions the less intelligent members of Springfield on the conventional wisdom they use. Third, she believes in defending the rights of God’s lesser beings, such as wild animals. And lastly, she takes pity on the unloved, giving affection to them unconditionally. This being said, she does not support religious thought. Despite her kind-hearted nature, she opposes religious hysteria, denounces blind faith, and attempts to overcome the theory of religion with science. Although she is in support of science, she still prays to God in some rare instances, proving that she still has a spiritual side. What makes Lisa a good model to the viewers is that she lives a life helping others
Especially in America, where the average citizen watches 34 hours of television a week, the shows make an impression of people’s opinions. The satirical religious references, to the surprise of many, do not offend the majority of the members of the church. In fact, there are some Sunday schools that use The Simpsons as a learning tool. The show has successfully created a satirical view of religion that remains funny, yet doesn’t offend the church. The Simpsons, ultimately, is a show that parallels the personalities of the characters with the average Americans, which causes the audience to thoroughly relate to the situations. In this aspect, the show helps families and individuals think through what it means to live as a religious believer in a pluralistic society.

Works Cited
Heit, Jamey. The Springfield Reformation: The Simpsons, Christianity, and American Culture. New York: Continuum, 2008. Print.
Pinsky, Mark I. The Gospel According to the Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World 's Most Animated Family. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2001. Print.
Satkin, Scott. ""The Simpsons as a Religious Satire"" The Simpsons Archive. N.p., 2001. Web. 10 Dec. 2012
Sweatt, Dave. "Religion on the Simpsons." The Simpsons Archive. N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Dec.