Sitcoms like The Simpsons are used to demonstrate that the traditional family is not what is portrayed on other shows like Father Knows Best, The Jetsons, and Leave it to Beaver. The Simpsons challenges and upholds the traditional sitcom while portraying the American nuclear family as a unique and lovable family. Like most shows that come out of Hollywood, The Simpsons is pro-Democrat and against Republican views. This show suggests that not following traditional family roles will give you a happier life. Gender roles are often used in entertainment to demonstrate masculinity and femininity. Through satire and parody, The Simpsons addresses gender roles, problems and behaviors typical of an average American family. In modern society, the average family unit is considered to consist of a mother, father and 2.5 children. This is exactly what The Simpsons has. Maggie hasn't aged at all even though the show has been on the air since 1987. The average American family can be explained as the mother being the caretaker and the father being the breadwinner. The mother and children depend on the father to provide support for the family. The Simpson family shows this, but they are not a perfect white picket fence family. Lisa is the smartest in the family and she is just a child, she has more intelligence than her mother and father combined. “The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family” was written by Paul A. Cantor. Cantor is the Clifton Waller Barrett Professor at the University of Virginia. He is also an American literary and media critic. Cantor is well known for his writings on popular culture. He is considered an eminent scholar in American popular culture studies. This article from... middle of the paper... now it's better, but the mother and women are making careers in the world. On the show, Lisa is considered the smartest of the family; has much more knowledge than Homer and Marge.Works CitedCantor, Paul A. "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family." Political Theory 27.6 (1999): 734-49. JSTOR. Network. April 17, 2014. Eliezer Van Allen. “An ideal imperfect family”. The Simpsons Archive. Network. April 17, 2014.Neuhaus, Jessamyn. “Marge Simpson, Blue-Haired Housewife: Defining Domesticity on The Simpsons.” The Journal of Popular Culture 43.4 (2010): 761-81. Print.Pehlke, Timothy Allen, Charles B. Hennon, M. Elise Radina, and Katherine A. Kuvalanka. "Does Father Know Better? An Inductive Thematic Analysis of Popular Television Sitcoms." Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice on Men as Fathers 7.2 (2009): 114-39. Press. April 17 2014.