Merge, again, the typical housewife of American sitcoms

Unlike other classical American sitcoms, The Simpsons looks different. It has no strong, intelligent, responsible husband but a boorish, greedy, lazy and clumsy Homer, a husband who is useless in his family. The only function he has may be pacifying Merge’s frustration at the end of every episodes. Meanwhile, Merge is the backbone of the family, said by Homer when he comforted Merge. It seems like The Simpsons has broken with tradition and satirized American dream. But in fact, Merge is still a traditional housewife. Although she has some other interests or talents, she is supposed to be in house, otherwise Homer will be unhappy. And the family also needs her. Without Merge, Children will be killed by the stupid father. For Merge herself, she pretty enjoys his role in family most time. She loves her husband and thinks he is not a disappointing guy as he was young. You can see in a unrealistic world, in an opposite family of American dream, the women is still a typical housewife.

“Core value” is a word mentioned many times by Jessamyn Neuhaus in her article. It is kind of affirmation of “tradition”. No matter what happened, arguments, conflicts, and even physical violence toward one another, in the end, the family would always be reconciled. And it likes to emphasize the love between Homer and Merge, the love of parents to children, and the children’s loyalty to Marge and Homer. The “core value” is including the role of women in a family.

So why does Merge take this role? As Steven Keslowitz said, she is happy with the way things are. In Merge’s mind, Homer is not a loud, crude, and piggish man because she has changed him. The fact is Homer is a loud, crude, and piggish man, and even their daughter believe it deeply. Sometimes Homer does act as a loving husband when he can makes up Merge’s frustration. Homer is not a fool in relationship and marriage, he gets the point of how to catch women’s heart. I don’t know if it is a right word to describe, but I still want to use. I think Merge is fooled by Homer in their relationship. However, Merge likes this way. It is hard to say who is wrong. But through the Simpsons family, maybe we can see a epitome of the role of women in family. Women are encouraged to act as Merge.

For example, in “A Streetcar Named Marge”, Merge lands the leading role in musical adaptation, Homer at first is oblivious to Marge’s undertaking and then actively resents her absence from the home. He argues with Merge about Merge left dinner for working. And his point is that he can not pull the lid off his own can of pudding. After Homer notices his fault, he expresses his love and devotion, he books a night out on the town for Marge—and Marge rushes into his arms, with a loving look and an ‘‘Aw, Homie.’’ Homer did a right thing in the end, but we should notice that it is Merge made a compromise. Maybe she didn’t think it is a compromise. She loves Homer so much. She can easily be moved by Homer’s expression of love and go back to be a typical housewife.