America Represented

America Represented

Throughout America's existence as a country there have been popular characters or icons that represent various cultures in time. These icons are not actual normal human beings though. Instead these idols are developed from texts. Whether it's the Marvel Comics of the 1950's or television characters of the 21st century. One perfect example of a character that represents pop culture today is Peter Griffin in the television show "Family Guy". "Family Guy" is an animated television series that comically targets American culture and tradition. "Family guy" aired its first show in January 1999 and from that point on has sky rocketed itself to the top of television charts. It instantly became popular because the show is able to create humor out of America's not so studious culture. Peter Griffin is the main character in the show and finds himself as the father of a family consisting of his wife Lois, daughter Megan, older son Chris, younger son Stewie, and talking dog Brian. Peter Griffin reflects the modern day American father through his obesity, gullibility to believe anything the media articulates, and his dysfunctional parenting.

One of America's largest and most rapidly increasing problems in society today is obesity. In the article It's Not Just Genetics by Bryan, Walsh, "the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers estimate that over 30% of American school children are overweight". This alarming statistic has been increasing in number since America's existence. In the show "Family Guy" not only is Peter Griffin extremely obese but so is his son Chris. Although they are both obese, neither one of them allow their obesity to damper their self respect. Instead this television series tends to, in a sense; celebrate the unhealthy obesity that this father and son have acquired. It is also not so shocking that the creators of this show incorporated at least two family members who struggle with weight, one specifically being the father. In another article titled Teen Obesity and Family Environment, the linking between obesity and family members is illustrated. "Most significantly, when children grow up in families with bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyles dominated by television watching and video games, they are 33.3 percent more likely to become overweight or obese as young adults". This perfectly describes Peter as a person/father. In every episode Peter is sitting on his couch in the family room watching television while splurging into unhealthy foods. Thus, his son has grown accustomed to these traditions and finds himself obese as well. What countless viewers do not realize is that Peter is the ultimate symbol of the modern day American father. His obesity also plagues hundreds of thousands of people across the nation. Unfortunately so does the fact that nearly all children who are overweight have a parent whom is either overweight or obese themselves. Obesity is an ongoing epidemic in America that is easily represented as a problem in the television show Family Guy through the use of Peter.

Of course Peter's character has other alternatives besides his obesity to be represented as a modern day American father. Peter unfortunately is extremely gullible and is willing to believe anything the media tells him. In one specific episode titled Da Boom Peter hears from the television that at the turn of the 21st century, the world is going to end. So he decides to place his family along with hundreds of gallons of water in the basement for the final countdown to the new millennium. This is extremely ironic because there were thousands of Americans who actually did the same thing as Peter. In the text book Human Communication in Society by Jess k. Alberts, it discusses the importance of media. "Media messages and images also help shape how people view the world and what they