How Does Stone And Parker Present The Audience In Margaritaville?

Matt Stone and Trey Parker address an audience of young adults in America in their South Park episode “Margaritaville.” Stone and Parker create an informative episode about events that were taking place during the “Great Recession” in America at the time. While being created, the audience was aware of increasing unemployment rates and decreasing house values. In “Margaritaville,” Stone and Parker introduce a character named Stan who is trying to invest his money into a bank, but he is immediately told that his money is nonexistent. The episode goes quickly to a news broadcast informing local residents that they are undergoing a recession. This context clue can help the audience figure out the setting in which the episode is heading towards. Also, the audience learns the writers’ stance when they begin to compare religion to economics throughout the
Parker and Stone also use the rhetorical device of commonplaces to form an analogy, relating how both the South Park citizens and American citizens don’t really know how the economy works. When the characters try figuring out the cause of the economic collapse, they turn towards Stan’s father Randy who is preaching that they have “angered the economy.” In addition to Randy preaching, we also get examples of Christianity from Stan who is trying to convert the citizens in another direction. The use of comparing economics and religion strengthens their purpose, because many Americans can relate to how religion provides answers for the unknowable. In this case, not knowing why everyone was losing their jobs and going into debt. This comparison strengthens their stance, because it provides an example of how misguided Americans are when it comes to their money spending habits. It can also weaken their argument, because it may be offensive and some may not agree with