CWV-101
December 9, 2012
Thomas Joseph

The Connors: The Real American Family

I chose to watch and observe a situation comedy that I liked watching as a teenager called Roseanne. Roseanne was a show that never shied away from real issues that families would endure and overcome. This show had nine seasons and always stayed current with the events that were going on in the world. The show portrayed a broad array of worldviews and how people in general would live together under different, sometimes opposing, outlooks on the world. Although the show never delved too deep into exact religious beliefs, there was an undertone of a Christian worldview. ("Roseanne full episodes," 2012) Roseanne Conner was the mother of three children, Becky, Darlene, and D.J, and doting wife of Dan Conner. Roseanne was raised in a Jewish family and Dan was raised Pentecostal. They raised their children to be able to choose their own path while instilling in them a sense of belief in something greater than themselves. She worked in various low income jobs while maintaining the home for her family. The middle-class view of this family is what appealed to most of America. You had a more realistic look at what we as the working class go through on a daily basis. There were no issues too taboo and the show gave great instruction on dealing with hard pressed problems. This was one of the first shows that showed the different faces of the family. You had black, Jewish, gay, and all other sorts of families illustrated on this sitcom. The writers showed how the Connor family interacted with these families and how they processed it behind closed doors. ("Roseanne (1988–1997)," ) When comparing values and actions illustrated in the program with my own view and experience regarding family, I notice more similarities than differences. I was raised in a lot of the same ways as Roseanne raised her children. I was raised to be considerate, kind, and always respectful of my fellow man. These are lessons that ring true for me on this show once you look past the comedic value of the characters portrayed in the sitcom. My parents were always quick to discipline if I judged against someone’s race, color, religion and/or sexual orientation. In contrast to my upbringings, this show had a more lenient role on punishment. I noticed that the Roseanne show tried to punish their children, however never followed through. My parents, on the other hand, always followed through with their punishment and I am thankful to this day for the structure. Another contrasting factor to my experience regarding family is the candid conversations between parent and child. My parents were much more conservative as what they talked to me about. On the show, they are very forthcoming with conversations that deal with sex, drugs and other difficult subjects. I believe this show impacted my view on what family is. The questions that I was too embarrassed or afraid to ask my parents were usually entertained on this program. I believe the Roseanne program had a very positive influence on what I think a family should be. I was lucky to have parents that were very loving and allowed me to be my own person with their guiding influence. I grew up in a lot of ways the same as this sitcom portrays. My parents were not members of a church. However, they had and have great moral standings and values. I had to search my own spiritual path to becoming a Christian and molding my own worldview. I believe this show, now watching again, was a great tool in doing so. Living in a small town kept me sheltered from many issues that I would face when becoming an adult. The Roseanne show shed some light on these issues and gave me a better understanding of what to expect in adulthood.

References
Roseanne full episodes. (2012, December 2). Retrieved from http://www.tvland.com/shows/roseanne/full-episodes
Roseanne (1988–1997). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094540/