portrayal of families and relationships
As societal-norms evolve, a variety of popular entertainment media (books, movies, TV shows, etc.) feature stories of characters who are a part of traditional and non-traditional family or relationship structures. Examples include but are not limited to: traditional families, cohabitation, single-parent households, blended families, same-sex couples, and grandparents as the primary care-givers for their grandchildren.
In a 3-page paper, written in APA format using proper spelling/grammar, address the following:
Describe a book, movie, or TV show that you are familiar with which features characters in families or personal relationships.
Select at least two families/relationships from your chosen story and explain the relationship characteristics and dynamics between individuals.
Apply terminology presented within the module when analyzing the relationships. Be sure to include APA citations for any resources you used as references.
The portrayal of FaAs societal-norms evolve, a variety of popular entertainment media (books, movies, TV shows, etc.) feature stories of characters who are a part of traditional and non-traditional family or relationship structures. Examples include but are not limited to: traditional families, cohabitation, single-parent households, blended families, same-sex couples, and grandparents as the primary care-givers for their grandchildren.
In a 3-page paper, written in APA format using proper spelling/grammar, address the following:
Describe a book, movie, or TV show that you are familiar with which features characters in families or personal relationships.
Select at least two families/relationships from your chosen story and explain the relationship characteristics and dynamics between individuals.
Apply terminology presented within the module when analyzing the relationships. Be sure to include APA citations for any resources you used as references. mily and Relationships
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Introduction
Over the years, the media has reflected how families are structured in the society today, even though the population is diverse with a wide range of different categories of families. Every family differs in terms of structure, relationships, and formats. The media portrayal of the family and relationships is essential since it has become a source of learning about family and relationships. Different entertainment media have shown what a family is, how a family should behave, and how families solve their issues (Zurcher, Webb and Robinson, 2018). This paper will discuss family and relationships that are portrayed in a television series “Supergirl” and how they represent the different family relationships in the society.
Considerably, societal norms have evolved in several entertainment media, including films, books, and television programs. These have featured stories that have characters with either nontraditional and traditional relationships and family structures. Among the family and relationships portrayed include single-parent households, cohabitation, traditional families, grandparents as caregivers, same-sex couples, and blended families (Strong and Cohen, 2016). Ideally, the proliferation of these kinds of family relationships and structures have affected how society views the family life.
Personal Relationships
Supergirl is a television series that utilizes science fiction based on the comic book character that goes by the same name, Supergirl. The series has offered the audience with many personal and family relationships. The program includes different aspects, which are humans and others, not humans from outer space (Zor-El, 2013). However, the non-humans are seen living on earth and adapting to the societal norms and human ways of life. This goes to the extent that they can build relationships with human beings.
The majority of characters in the series are females who include both the alien females and human females. Even though the alien females have some special powers, they still have similar features with human females. One of the most interesting relationships is the cordial relationship between Kara and Alex. For instance, Alex is seen hostile towards a supergirl, not knowing that Kara and Supergirl are the same people.
The relationship between Kara Danvers and Alex is one of the most interesting. Supergirl is seen featuring a variety of relationships which range from friendships to romantic attachment to even frenemies. The relationship between Danvers sisters is one of the strongest personal relationships in the series. Despite their challenges as sisters, they have always been supportive and close. Relatively, Alex and Maggie portray same-sex relationships since they are involved in a lesbian relationship. Maggie’s father is conservative about Alex and Maggie’s relationship, where he raises objections on the ongoing relationship.
Traditional and Single Parenting Family
The two most evident family relationships include single parenting and the traditional family. The family that forms the basis of this series, the Danvers Family is nothing but a traditional family (Wehler and Rayborn, 2020). A traditional family consists of a family structure where a man and a woman have one or more biological or adopted children. The man and woman in the traditional family are considered as husband and wife. The Danvers family consists of Eliza Danvers the mother to Alex and Kara’s adoptive mother and Jeremiah Danvers the father to Alex and Kara’s adoptive mother and the two daughters Alex and Kara.
The adopted child is given the same legal and social status as the biological children of the adoptive parents. The parents, on the other hand, assumed the roles of parenting for another person. For this series, the main character Supergirl who was ordinarily known as Kara is an adopted child by Alex’s family and becomes an adopted sister to Alex. Kara is an alien female who was sent as a child by her family when their planet was on the verge of extinction due to environmental catastrophe. Upon arriving on earth, she was adopted by Alex’s family. Alex and Kara team up to defend the earth against alien threats, which shows themes of family extensively both biological and chosen. At some point, while sharing their history, the two women came to identify themselves as sisters foregoing and dropping their potential labels that define their relationship.
On the other hand, single parenting involves one parent bringing up the child alone without a partner. Ideally, single parenting is a result of different challenges or situations that lead to this kind of parenting. After a super girl arrived on earth, she was adopted by Alex’s family. However, the father in the family, Jeremiah, later disappeared while he was on a mission. The family is raised by a single mother, although they later reunite. Single parenting is also evident by the former employer of Supergirl in her day job as a reporter. The successful businesswoman was a single mother. Single parenting is also evident to Samantha Arias, who is a single mother. She raises her daughter, who was born to her by her human boyfriend at the age of 18. Single parenting can be overwhelming due to the stress of responsibilities of caring for the children and maintaining a job, which makes single parenting challenging.
Conclusion
In summary, the series has shown different types of relationships, including traditional families, single parenting relationships, and same-sex relationships. The transgender relationship between Alex and Maggie, who have a lesbian relationship, is also depicted in the series. The series has explored the diversity in human personality and family relationships and the different ways that families can be organized in modern society. Family is thematic throughout the series and brings a question of what constitutes a real family and reflects the need for an inclusive and expanded concept of the family and relationships.
References
Strong, B. & Cohen. T. (2016). Marriage and family experience: Intimate relationships in a changing society (13th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.
Wehler, M., & Rayborn, T. (Eds.). (2020). Girl of Steel: Essays on Television’s Supergirl and Fourth-Wave Feminism. McFarland.
Zor-El, K. (2013). Supergirl (Kara Zor-El). The Laura Vandervoort Handbook-Everything you need to know about Laura Vandervoort, 82.
Zurcher, J. D., Webb, S. M., & Robinson, T. (2018). The portrayal of families across generations in Disney animated films. Social Sciences, 7(3), 47.
