Throughout Seinfeld’s eight-season stint on network television the show and its creator’s have stereotyped everything from young Puerto Rican boys to Jewish Priests. The main stereotype of this sit-com is the very florid portrayal of the generational age groups of the characters. The main characters represent the beginning of the Generation X culture. The parents and relatives of Jerry Seinfeld and that of George Costanza present the presence of the members of the Silent or GI generation.
Throughout the television series we have seen the elderly as stereotypically helpless individuals with little or no purpose. The character’s Jerry Seinfeld, George Costanza, Elaine Benes, and Cosmo Kramer, represent the Generation X culture. These half-witted characters are often unreliable and uncaring about the society they live in. These characters often care about nothing more about life outside their own. The stereotype of these characters and the success of this very popular television show have contributed to the media’s wide usage of stereotyping generations.
The article, “My Inner Shrimp,” can be directly correlated to George’s eccentric ego trips with his problems with shortness, unemployment, and baldness. George’s character is often portrayed as a very loud, very rambunctious person who is often seeking to be on top. Elderly: Helpless or Not Throughout the series we have seen the elderly characters of Seinfeld often being absent minded, senile, and often helpless. Jerry’s parents upon retirement moved to the sunny state of Florida to bask in their retirement. This proves to be a very common nomenclature among senior citizens.
Throughout the nation many retired citizens have been moving eagerly across the country spending their hard earned money and moving to much more appealing climates. Throughout the show Jerry’s parents often try to impose money upon him even though he never request any money from his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Seinfeld often believe that Jerry is living a life of poverty and that he lives a very inadequate life. Throughout our nation the elderly have often saved and saved countless dollars so that they may have a better life and provide their children with the sustenance they need to live a very adequate life.
Mr. and Mrs. Costanza are often portrayed as very senile individuals. George’s parents often tend to exaggerate things outside the spectrum they should really include. One certain episode can attribute to there senility. During the Seinfeld’s visit of New York to see their son Jerry, the Costanza’s graciously ask the Seinfeld’s to accompany them to dinner at their home. The Seinfeld’s regretfully decline because of previous engagements, the Costanza’s proceed to slander the Seinfeld’s because of their declination of dinner plans.
The Costanza’s felt as if there was some ulterior motive for them declining to dine with them. This is an excellent example of how the media portrays the elderly as a group of senile individuals. More examples of senility of elders is when Jerry’s Uncle is caught stealing books in a book store and his excuse for doing the crime is because of his old age. His uncle states, “I don’t know what I’m doing, I’m an old Man, can you please take me back to my home. ” Jerry’s Uncle stereotype’s the elderly as a group of very senile very insane individuals.
A Cast of Generation Xer’s The shows main characters lace the screen with scenes of comic relief, the slandering of friends, and an overwhelming sense that these characters care nothing more about the world. Jerry, the show’s main character, places more precedence on his wardrobe and his looks than the world around him. He constantly bashes what is wrong with society and ridicules various radical organizations. Even though he criticizes the world he does very little to change it. Jerry is very politically inactive and often ridicules political candidates.
George’s character perhaps shows the greatest stereotype of the Generation X genre. George is often out of work skipping from job to job as time passes throughout the show. George is often found living off his parents’ wealth and he is also known to live off his friends. George’s thought does not exceed past his pathetic uninvolved life. The character’s of this television show are so self involved that they do not have the time nor the ability to involve themselves with the outside world.
Your Classic Inner Shrimp George’s character can directly relate to the article, “My Inner Shrimp,” George’s character is the stereotypical short individual. George is constantly ridiculed for his shortness. He is constantly denied by the opposite sex for a date and is often picked on by members of his same sex, just as the character in the article was ridiculed. During one episode, George purchased a pair of boots for the purpose that they made him look three inches taller than his original height.
George went to the extremes to paint his shoes with spray paint so that he could wear them to a formal affair so that he could remain the same height as everyone else. George’s shortness is often the one ridiculed of many a joke. Season Finale Throughout the show the media continuously stereotype’s the characters of the television sit-com. Through the media, television has stereotyped the elderly as decrepit, senile individuals. The media stereotyped the generation x members as self-centered unmotivated individuals. Through the media this television show contributed to the stereotyping of our society and its members.
