closely examine how gender is portrayed in TV shows about family. (By this term, we are not referring to one’s biological sex of being male or female, but rather the cultural roles that we are encouraged to occupy, that of being “masculine” or “feminine.” Gender refers to this set of beliefs and behaviors about what is considered “normal” behavior for a woman or man in culture.) Your analytical observations will culminate in an essay due at the end of this unit. The essay will discuss what messages about gender are prevalent in your show (this will be your thesis) and it will examine how your show conveys those messages through the representation of character and plot (this will be your support). Your analysis can take many different approaches, depending on your interest and your show. You may, for example, analyze just one character across several episodes or you might want to compare female characters within one show, or compare female and male characters within one am looking for a critical analysis in your discussion comments and the essay, NOT a summary.
