Character Analysis: Family Guy

Family Guy is an animated comedy focusing on a dysfunctional nuclear family known as the Griffins. Peter is, in short, an idiot and the patriarch of the household. Lois, the mother of the family, is a stereotypical housewife with a wild side. Peter and Lois have three children named Meg, Chris, and Stewie. The family also has a talking dog named Brian. Brian is the family’s smartest asset and even he is not the brightest. Family Guy, set in modern day America, is the epitome of today’s culture by perfectly and satirically exemplifying how blemished and distorted it has become.
In our culture, people go to great lengths to try to fit in or to feel like a part of something. Meg’s character is an excellent example of this. Meg is portrayed as an outcast teenager who struggles with having and making friends and is often bullied by her peers. In one episode, Meg meets a new friend, and later, unknowingly ends up joining a cult. Meg will do anything to keep and impress her friend, including participating in a group suicide ritual. In another episode, Meg pretends to be a Lesbian after being given the
In one episode, Stewie partakes in a pretend marriage ceremony to a fellow toddler, and it is clear to see that there is plenty of hard hitting reality in this fun little game. Olivia, Stewie’s pretend wife, is shown as having a “juice drinking” problem. Stewie is increasingly spiteful towards her and her “addiction” to juice. Stewie’s aggression coupled with Olivia’s habit is a recipe for disaster. The “marriage” takes an ugly turn when Stewie walks into their pretend cardboard house to see Olivia playing with another boy. Stewie, in his rage, runs out of the house and lights it on fire. This comedic exaggeration showcases real problems that marriages in our culture are likely to face. Infidelity and substance abuse are all too common in today’s marriages, leading to a high rate of