Leave it to Beaver vs. Last Man Standing: A Compare and Contrast
The structure and topic selected for this paper is a compare and contrast of two family sitcoms, “Leave it to Beaver”, from the 1950’s, and “Last Man Standing”, from present day. Throughout this paper we will compare the similarities and differences in the plot of the shows, the values they present, the structure of the families, and the roles they play. In addition, we will determine application of the sociological concepts of structural-functional approach, social-conflict approach, and symbolic-interaction approach as they relate to the sitcoms. Finally, we will examine how these two family sitcoms have influenced our values and family circumstances and if one could …show more content…
Beaver is taught to fight which is necessary to defend one’s self, while Boyd is taught that fighting was a result of protecting those one cares about. The value sets are very different between the two shows. “Leave it to Beaver” is a typical 1950’s picture of a family unity, with a working father, a house wife and two kids. In “Last Man Standing”, both parents work, with Kristin having had a teenage pregnancy and lives with her parents raising her son as a single parent. The family structure and family roles are also very different, “Leave it to Beaver” has a nice little package of working, advice giving dad, stay at home, cooking and cleaning mom, and two kids that live in live in this picture perfect world accepting dad’s advice and mom’s meals. “Last Man Standing” delivers a far different picture, Mike works, Vanessa works, and often they both, along with some help from the kids, prepare meals together. Kristin lives and raises her son at her parent’s house, adding the layers of an offsite father figure, Ryan, for Boyd and Mike and Vanessa as grandparents, in addition both Mandy and Eve are Boyd’s aunts. The differences seem to be very noticeable when laid side by …show more content…
From this point of view one would expect each family member to determine their role in the family. Some family members might prefer to hold a position of reverence and importance, such as Ward Cleaver or Mike Baxter; for others a position of service may be a greater satisfaction than receiving admiration, such as with June Cleaver. In addition, the behavior of family members can change over time, causing the family structure to evolve, such as children learning lessons, as portrayed in both of these sitcoms, this can change future
The structure and topic selected for this paper is a compare and contrast of two family sitcoms, “Leave it to Beaver”, from the 1950’s, and “Last Man Standing”, from present day. Throughout this paper we will compare the similarities and differences in the plot of the shows, the values they present, the structure of the families, and the roles they play. In addition, we will determine application of the sociological concepts of structural-functional approach, social-conflict approach, and symbolic-interaction approach as they relate to the sitcoms. Finally, we will examine how these two family sitcoms have influenced our values and family circumstances and if one could …show more content…
Beaver is taught to fight which is necessary to defend one’s self, while Boyd is taught that fighting was a result of protecting those one cares about. The value sets are very different between the two shows. “Leave it to Beaver” is a typical 1950’s picture of a family unity, with a working father, a house wife and two kids. In “Last Man Standing”, both parents work, with Kristin having had a teenage pregnancy and lives with her parents raising her son as a single parent. The family structure and family roles are also very different, “Leave it to Beaver” has a nice little package of working, advice giving dad, stay at home, cooking and cleaning mom, and two kids that live in live in this picture perfect world accepting dad’s advice and mom’s meals. “Last Man Standing” delivers a far different picture, Mike works, Vanessa works, and often they both, along with some help from the kids, prepare meals together. Kristin lives and raises her son at her parent’s house, adding the layers of an offsite father figure, Ryan, for Boyd and Mike and Vanessa as grandparents, in addition both Mandy and Eve are Boyd’s aunts. The differences seem to be very noticeable when laid side by …show more content…
From this point of view one would expect each family member to determine their role in the family. Some family members might prefer to hold a position of reverence and importance, such as Ward Cleaver or Mike Baxter; for others a position of service may be a greater satisfaction than receiving admiration, such as with June Cleaver. In addition, the behavior of family members can change over time, causing the family structure to evolve, such as children learning lessons, as portrayed in both of these sitcoms, this can change future