The Simpsons 3 Essay Research Paper The — страница 2

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horror, he never even finished. As Homer and Bart were scouring the parking lot for winning tickets into the night, they saw the track manager throw out a dog. It was not just any dog, it was Santa’s Little Helper. When Bart and Homer came home to their worried family, they had a good Christmas after all. Now they had a dog. (Pond) “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” was not the typical Christmas story. It dealt with body art, sleeping in the work place, sibling rivalry, stealing a Christmas tree, a misbehaved son, and gambling. Although it was unorthodox, it was very successful. The Fox network decided to air it again on Christmas Eve. (Dale and Trich, 19) In a little over a month, The Simpsons made its debut as a weekly show, “Bart the Genius” was the first regular

episode. In the middle of a feared assessment test, Bart switches his test with the completed one of Nelson Prince, Class Nerd. Bart and his parents are called into Principal Seymour Skinner’s office where they are told that Bart has a 216 IQ. (Homer thought is was 912.) Skinner requests that Bart attend The Enriched Learning Center for Children. Suddenly, Homer takes a liking to his son. They joke together, play ball together, and embarrass Marge at an opera together. (”Toreador, oh don’t spit on the floor. Use the cuspidor. That’s what it’s for.” Bart sings along with the opera Carmen.) Soon at Bart’s old school, Springfield Elementary School, Bart’s graffiti is roped off and tagged, “The Principal. By Bart Simpson. IQ 216.” Bart’s friends no longer like

him, they refer to him as Poindexter. The kids at his new school trick him into giving up his lunch. In fact, Bart is miserable. Then, after turning himself green in an uneducated science experiment, Bart reveals to his new principal that he cheated on the test. That night as Homer is helping Bart cleans himself off, Bart tells Homer the same. Homer instantly transforms into a murderous rampage again. The episode ends with Bart locking himself in his room and Homer trying to knock down the door so he can tear Bart into pieces. (Vitti) Soon, Simpsons merchandise was all over America. Every kid wanted an “Underachiever and Proud of It, Man” or an “I’m Bart Simpson, Who the Hell Are You?” shirt. Hats could be seen everywhere that had Bart dressed like a devil saying “Go

For It, Dude!” or with Homer, his arms open, lunging forward saying “Why You Little.” The most popular shirt was a family picture with Homer choking Bart. During the first week of school in 1990, two thirds of the sixth graders in America wore Simpson’s paraphernalia. (Dale and Trich, 43) As the popularity of The Simpsons grew, so did parents’ fears. To their horror, Bart Simpson became a role model. “Aye Carumba!” was a popular expression among kids. Almost anything a child did wrong was attributed to “last Sunday’s Simpsons.” (Dale and Trich, 45) Bad ideas continued to be broadcast into kids’ minds. In the third episode, a baby-sitter robbed the Simpson household of most of its belongings. In the fourth episode, Homer caused a nuclear accident, got fired,

and attempted suicide. Bart stole the head off of the statue of Jebidiah Springfield, Springfield’s founder in the sixth episode. In the eighth episode, Bart took a picture of Homer with an exotic dancer and distributed them to the entire town. Marge had an affair in the ninth episode. Homer stole cable, and almost everything else imaginable in the fifteenth episode. (Groening, 37) The Simpsons is often viewed as one of the biggest threats to Christianity. The Simpson family goes to church on a regular basis, but Bart and Homer loathe it. A typical Sunday School conversation is as follows: Child: “Will my dog, Fluffy go to heaven?” Sunday School Teacher: “No” Other Child: “How about my cat?” Teacher: “No, Heaven is only for people.” Bart: “What if my leg gets

gangrene and has to be amputated? Will it be waiting for me in heaven? Teacher: “Yes” Bart: “What about a robot with a human brain?” Teacher: “I don’t know! Is a little blind faith too much to ask for?” (Pepoon) The pastor, Reverend Lovejoy is a hypocrite. In “22 Short Films about Springfield” he leads his dog to the Flanders’ yard to go to the bathroom. He praises the dog until Ned Flanders comes outside. He then acts angry and threatens the dog with hell. When Ned leaves, he praises the dog again. (Swartzwelder) In one episode, Homer quits going to church and falls in love with life. He claims to have his own religion so he doesn’t have to go to work on holidays, such as the Feast of Maximum Occupancy. In a conversation with Lisa: Lisa: “Dad, I don’t