Gender Representation in Mass Media: Marge Simpson By: Rebecca Crann

Family Life Marge has three children with her husband Homer; Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Marge is the moralistic force and tries to maintain order in the house. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother.

Job History Marge has been the homemaker for her family for most of the series, however, she has held several one-episode jobs in the course of the series. These include working as a nuclear technician alongside Homer at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant ,selling houses and owning her own pretzel business.

Education Marge attended High School at Springfield High but did not go on to University after. She met Homer in her senior year and instead invested all her time on him, and became pregnant with Bart 2 years later.

Personality Marge is a foil to her reckless and impulsive husband. She has high morals and a tendency to be a 'wet blanket'. She dislikes any sort of risk, can be fearful of new things and has set her life to a routine entirely set around her housework.

Stereotypes She tends to consider anything that isn't completely plain to be amazing and exciting. Marge is portrayed as emotionally, financially and socially dependent, therefore she relies almost completely on Homer and her family for support.

Stereotypes She has been shown as very technologically illiterate and the family often pokes fun at her for it. This adds to her dependence on others and adds to the idea that she cant do anything but housework by herself. Marge has also been depicted as a bad driver, a common stereotype for women.

Stereotypes Marge carries virtually all of the “housewife” stereotypically traits. She’s the responsible parent, spends all her time doing housework and taking care of the kids, has no post-secondary education, very little job experience and depends completely on her husband to financially care for her and her family.

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKUYtG336C8