Textual Analysis of Modern Family

A Textual Analysis of Modern Family

Kelly Malloy

Comm 350
Textual Analysis of Modern Family

Modern Family is a typical situational comedy that focuses on family ideals and issues

that are able to be solved within the episode itself. In addition, the characters in the show often

solve their dilemmas using humor. While most situational comedies focus on interpersonal issues

or familial disagreements, Modern Family focuses on issues bigger than the characters

themselves. Issues such as Gay and Latino stereotypes, as well as gender roles within the family

are consistently seen throughout the Pritchett, Dunphey, and Pritchett- Tucker families.

However, the show rarely pushes these issues in order to create social change within its

audience.

Cultural significance

When Modern Family began in 2009, Gay marriage was more of a taboo topic than

something that needed to be seriously discussed. According to Gallops 2015 Values and

Beliefs poll, only 40% of individuals surveyed believed gay marriages should be as valid as

traditional marriages. In 2011, after Modern Family had aired for two years, Gallops poll

showed an increase to 53% of individuals surveyed who supported gay marriage as valid as

traditional marriage, which was the highest percentage of support since the poll began in 1996

(Cillizza, 2015). Obviously, Modern Family cannot be given complete credit for the increased

support of gay marriage throughout the country. However, this isnt to say that it didnt have any

impact on how the Modern Family audience viewed gay marriage, both as a political and moral

concept. A poll conducted by The Hollywood Reported found that 27 percent of likely voters

said that depictions of gay characters on TV made them more pro-gay marriage, and there

are news accounts of people crediting their newfound sympathy toward gay people to Modern

Family (Kornhaber, 2015). Communities who struggle with accurate representation in media

would be relieved to receive newfound sympathy from the media audiences towards their
Textual Analysis of Modern Family

minority community. Modern Family discusses issues and stereotypes within both the Latino and

Gay communities; However, the show rarely works to break these stereotypes, and typically just

follows along with them.

Within each of the three families portrayed on Modern Family, gender roles are one of

the most prevalent, yet controversial stereotypes on the show. Even for Cameron and Mitchell,

the gay couple on the show, the gender roles for them as parents are made clear as early as the

first episode. After bringing home their adopted daughter, Lily, from Vietnam, Cam mentions

some side effects he has experienced: Cameron: Yes, Ive gained a few extra pounds while

we were expecting the baby, which has been very difficult. But, apparently, your body does a

nesting, very maternal, primal thing where it retains nutrients some sort of molecular

physiology thing. But thats science. You cant you cant fight it, so (2011a).

Cam is seen as the stay at home mom figure, and as for the cultural significance, supports a

heteronormative view that one parent must take the feminine role within a romantic

relationship. The show could more accurately portray the gay couple by having them in more

ambiguous roles of shared responsibility, either for earning the familys income or raising their

child but instead, they stick to relatively firm gender-normative roles of breadwinner and

caregiver (LaVecchia, 2011).

The gender roles in the Dunphy family are equally, if not more pronounced than in the

Pritchett- Tucker family. Claire is the caregiver, while her husband Phil, is the breadwinner.

Claire is responsible for more of the discipline, however, because Phil would rather have his kids

continue to see him as a friend, rather than parent who punishes them. Phil coins this term,

peerenting (LaVecchia, 2011). This style of parenting could be considered one of the more

questionable trends of our time, but is still constantly displayed through both the first and
Textual Analysis of Modern Family

second episodes of season one. While Claire is seen as the parent responsible for discipline, she

does not set the highest standards for her children. Within the first scene of episode one, Claire

states: I was out of control growing up. There, you know, I said it. I I just dont want my

kids to make the same bad mistakes that I made. If Hayley never wakes up on a beach in Florida

half-naked, Ive done my job (2011a). Since Phil doesnt hold up his gender role as the

disciplinary male of the household, Claire is required to step in to maintain order of the

household, even though the punishments she instills are rarely taken seriously by the rest of the

household.

Textual Analysis

Textual Analysis is the process of studying media texts in order to understand members

of different cultures in a deeper way (McKee, 2003). While Phil Dunphy is underachieving in his

predetermined masculine gender role, he thrives in his role of being a working class male

buffoon, as described by Richard Butsch (2003, p. 20). Phil commonly gets himself into

scenarios in which Claire, or his children, would come to his aid, and in turn, they would be

portrayed as more intelligent, rational, sensible, responsible, [and] mature than their husbands

[or father, in the childrens case] (Butsch, 2003, p. 21). Lastly, Butsch describes characters on

situational comedies such as Phil as feminine or child- like, which coincides with the

peerenting tactic used by Phil (Butsch, 2003, p. 16).

By observing Mitch and Cam through a queer critique, it is clear to see that the couple

doesnt demonstrate many of the characteristics typically seen from homosexual couples.

According to Lynne Joyrich, queer is defined as "the subversion of the ordinary, as the strange,

the irregular, which would seem to necessitate some sort of disruption to our regularly

scheduled programming (Joyrich, 2014, p. 135). However, Modern Family makes a point to
Textual Analysis of Modern Family

limit the scenes where Cam and Mitch are going against the ordinary in order to demonstrate

how they are just like any other normal family, regardless of sexual orientation. Depending on

the situation, the Mitch and Cam may switch gender roles; Regardless, one character is almost

always the feminine partner, while the other is the masculine. For example, season one

episode two consists of Mitch and Cam preparing to take Lily to daycare, when Mitch voices his

concerns about Cams outfit choice and personality: Mitchell: Were gonna be judged enough

as the only gay parents there; I dont wanna be the late ones too. Wow, paisley and pink. Was

there something wrong with the fishnet tank top. Cameron: Obviously not; Im wearing it

underneath. Kidding. Just chill, please. Mitchell: Im sorry; I just wanna make a good first

impression. Cameron: You mean you wanna fit in and not terrify the villagers? Mitchell: No-

hey, come on. Today is about Lily, alright? Her future best friend might be in that class and I

dont wanna rub anyone the wrong way. Can you please just change your shirt. Cameron:

Fine. You know what, Ill just go put on a pair of khakis, maybe a polo shirt and everybodyll

think were a couple of straight golfing buddies who just decided to have a kid together

(2011b).

Mitch is nervous that Lily will be affected negatively in daycare due to her having gay parents.

While this is likely a valid concern some gay parents have for their children, it could have been

addressed in a more culturally appropriate way than having one of the characters tone down

his personality.

Gloria Pritchard is the only character on Modern Family who grew up in a different

country, and she makes sure none of the other characters forget that she isnt from America.

Gloria demonstrates intense Latino stereotypes by speaking poor English, joking about being a

gold-digger, and referencing the crime and drugs in Columbia (Murray, 2012). Sofia Vergara,
Textual Analysis of Modern Family

who plays Gloria in the show, is aware that her role as Gloria portrays negative stereotypes but

she views them as [a] natural part of who she is and an essential element of the Latina woman

(Akines, 2015, p. 27). Since both Sofia Vergara and her character, Gloria, are from Columbia,

Vergara simply wants her performance [to be] true to the Columbian women she knows

(Murray, 2012). Lastly, since Modern Family is a situational comedy, Vergara exaggerates the

stereotypes she has experienced herself in order to make the character [Gloria] as funny as

possible (Murray, 2012). In season one episode two, Gloria and her husband Jay discuss the

stereotypes of Latino immigrants performing manual labor, Gloria being a gold- digger, as well

as the pride Gloria has for her country: Jay: Limo gets here at four. This morning I thought Id

go over to the club and hit a few balls. Gloria: No. What about the fan in Mannys room? Jay:

Oh, yeah Call a guy. Gloria: Nooo. Youre supposed to do it with him. Its important that we

teach him how to do things for himself. In my culture, men take great pride in doing physical

labour. Jay: I know. Thats why I hire people from your culture. Gloria: Youre too funny. Im

gonna share that one with my next husband when were spending all your money (2011b).

Method Procedures

As for the procedures of the study, season one episodes one and two were the focus.

These episodes were watched first simply for general understanding. Next, they were compared

to the transcriptions that were found online in order to insure accuracy. Lastly, the episodes were

viewed a third time and analyzed for themes such as gender, sexuality, class and race.

Similarities and Differences to other Popular Texts

Modern Family depicts Gloria Pritchard in way that is synonymous with how most of

modern media depicts Latino women. Gloria represents three of the five most common

stereotypes of Latino women, as determined by Arielle Akines (2015, p. 20-27). Gloria is a

Textual Analysis of Modern Family

Maid all the time, because she does chores around the house instead of working a paid job, and

acts as Mannys fulltime caregiver. She is considered the Latin Lover, because she dresses

more provocatively than the rest of the characters on Modern Family and enjoys showing off her

body. Lastly, Gloria is an immigrant and makes it obvious by speaking poor English and

reminiscing about her country (Akines, 2015, p. 27). Sofia Vergaras fulfillment of Latino

stereotypes is similar to Lupe Ontiveros acting career. Also a Latino woman, Ontiveros

reported that she built her career by asking: You want an accent? during her castings and the

directors would respond with Yes the thicker and more waddly it is, the more they like it

(Akines, 2015, p. 25). Ontiveros, like Vergara, was popular for acting as a maid, as well as a

grandmother (Akines, 2015, p. 25).

Emergent Themes

One of the most difficult issues Mitch has to deal with is his fathers disapproval of Mitch

and Cam being in a long- term romantic relationship. While Jay tries not to be offensive towards

them, he frequently makes comments that insinuate his displeasure with the relationship itself.

After Mitch and Cam bring Lily home in episode one, they invite the whole family over so they

can introduce Lily to everyone. However, they didnt tell the family what the surprise is, and

the conversation didnt exactly go as Mitch had planned: Mitchell: Anyway. Um so about

a year ago, Cam and I started feeling this longing, you know, for something more like, uh

maybe a baby? Jay: Oooh, thats a bad idea. Mitchell: What do you mean bad idea? Jay: Well,

kids need a mother. I mean, if you two guys are bored, get a dog. Mitchell: Were not bored, dad.

Gloria: I support you, Mitchell, even though youre not my son. Claire: I-I-I think what dad is

trying to say is that Mitchell, youre a little uptight, kids bring chaos and you dont handle it
Textual Analysis of Modern Family

well. Mitchell: Oh, uh, thats not what dad is saying; thats what youre saying and its insulting

in a whole different way (2011a).

Jays comments, such as kids need a mother and if you two guys are bored, get a dog

suggest Jay doesnt believe the couple is qualified to take care of a baby, especially since the

baby wouldnt have a mother (2011a). Jays heteronormative views are made obvious by his

commentary on how if the couple is bored, they should adopt a dog instead of a baby.

Upward mobility is exemplified early on in episode one by Jay and Gloria. The scene is

documentary- like staging where the characters are speaking directly towards the camera.

Gloria: Were very different. Jays from the city, he has big business. I come from a small

village very poor, but very, very beautiful. Its the number one village in all Colombia for all

the whats the word? Jay: Murders. Gloria: Yes, the murders (2011a).

Gloria is obviously proud of her heritage; she wouldnt mention Columbia so often if she was

embarrassed of her heritage. She also appears to be proud of the fact that her village is the

number one village in all Columbia for murders. The more likely reasoning behind Gloria not

being afraid to share her heritage is because it shows how far her and Manny have come. They

live a wealthy, safe, relaxing lifestyle in America compared to how they lived in Columbia. The

act of Gloria and Manny changing social classes demonstrates drastic social mobility.

Modern Family found success within the situational comedy genre since it discusses

serious, yet relevant issues in modern culture in a lighthearted fashion. The issues are brought up,

poked fun at, and almost always solved within the same episode in which they started. Modern

Family has opened the doors for more scandalous shows to be created, such as Orange is the

New Black which would have been far too shocking for audiences without the gentle introduction

Modern Family gives these issues. However, now that the show is on its eighth season, it has
Textual Analysis of Modern Family

formed a solid fan base, and should attempt to change the stereotypes it often pokes fun at

regarding the Gay and Latino communities.

Textual Analysis of Modern Family

Works Cited

Akines, A.L. (2015) HISPANIC REPRESENTATIONS ON MEDIA PLATFORMS:

PERSPECTIVES AND STEREOTYPES IN THE MEME, TELEVISION, FILM, AND ON

YOUTUBE. Available at:

https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/5741/AKINES-THESIS-

2015.pdf?sequence=1 (Accessed: 5 October 2016).

Butsch, R. (2003) A HALF CENTURY OF CLASS AND GENDER in American TV domestic

sitcoms. Available at: http://www.cercles.com/n8/butsch.pdf (Accessed: 5 October 2016).

Cillizza, C. (2015) The absolutely stunning rise in support for gay marriage, in 1 chart.

Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/05/20/the-

absolutely-stunning-rise-in-support-for-gay-marriage-in-1-chart/ (Accessed: 5 October

2016).

Joyrich, L. (2014) Queer Television Studies: Currents, Flows, and (Main)streams, Cinema

Journal, 2(53), pp. 133139.

Kornhaber, S. (2015) The modern family effect: Pop cultures role in the gay-marriage

revolution. Available at: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/06/gay-

marriage-legalized-modern-family-pop-culture/397013/ (Accessed: 5 October 2016).

LaVecchia, C. (2011) Of Peerenting, trophy wives, and effeminate men: Modern familys

surprisingly conservative remediation of the family sitcom genre, Harlot: A Revealing

Look at the Arts of Persuasion, 1(6).

McKee, A. (2003) What is textual analysis? Available at:

http://methods.sagepub.com/book/textual-analysis/n1.xml (Accessed: 5 October 2016).

Textual Analysis of Modern Family

Murray, N. (2012) 5 surprising modern family controversies. Available at:

http://theweek.com/articles/478511/5-surprising-modern-family-controversies (Accessed:

5 October 2016).

Optimus the Ninja (2011a) Season 1 episode 1: Pilot. Available at:

https://modernfamilytranscripts.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/s01e01-pilot/ (Accessed: 5

October 2016).

Optimus the Ninja (2011b) Season 1 episode 2: The bicycle Thief. Available at:

https://modernfamilytranscripts.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/s01e02-the-bicycle-thief/

(Accessed: 5 October 2016).