Media Analysis of TV Series Glee



Media Analysis of TV Series Glee

Introduction

The TV series selected for the analysis is “Glee” which is a one-hour musical comedy that airs on Fox. This series revolves around the glee club of a fictional school named McKinley High School. The series show an enthusiastic and optimistic Will Schuester trying hard to transform the glee club of the school through inspiring a group of school students. Initially, the glee club of the school was the top of the show choir world, however, after facing a number of different scandals the glee club lost its credibility and popularity. The glee club now consists of the misfits of the schools as well as the social outcasts. Will Schuester, himself, offered to take on the task of restoring the forming glory of the glee club. However, it is a very difficult task as the outcast and misfits of the school are not very willing to work hard and do not have much self confidence in them. Furthermore, the glee club is considered as a club for geeks. This has also resulted in creating further problems for the glee club members, as they also have to deal with school work, sexuality, relationships and social issues (fox.com). This paper will analyze the series and determine how it is the agent of socialization.

Discussion

Sociological Concepts

The following sociological concepts are portrayed in Glee:

Stereotypes

A stereotype is the verbal expression of a social groups or individuals looking as its members believe. It has the logical form of a judgment in denying unjustified simplifying and generalizing manner, with emotionally evaluative tendency of a class of persons certain characteristics or behaviors. Prejudice and stereotypes are most common in the high school these days. Stereotypes and prejudices are linked (Landis, 2000). The danger is that stereotypes applied uncritically and without a change of perspective, to be prejudices, which are difficult to change. Often stereotyped images are transmitted via a person on all members of a particular group. Prejudices are convictions (before). They often occur as judgments or assessments which are not based on personal experience.

The high school is full of such stereotypes, the students are divided into different categories like popular kids, geeks, athletes, cheerleaders, and jocks etc. all of the individuals are categorized into these different groups are expected to behave in a certain way. This is exactly what is shown in Glee. The members of the glee club are social outcasts and misfits of the schools who are considered as losers. This stereotype is handled in the show as it portrays that the misfits and the social outcasts of the schools are also talented and unique individuals.

Authority

The authority has been defined in several ways: as an attribute of a person, position or office which confers the right to give orders, as a relationship between superior and subordinate positions, as a quality that makes an order is fulfilled, and as the basis of behavior. The concept of power is sociologically amorphous (Stark, ...