All in the Family vs. Modern Family

The 1970s family sitcom "All in the Family" and the current comedy series "Modern Family" raise simliar controversial issues. "All in the Family" attempts to show the absurdity of numerous prejudices through the ignorance of the main character, Archie Bunker. Archie is an expicit racist and sexist, and seems to be prejudiced against anyone different from himself. He constantly is losing arguments because of his ignorance and outright prejudices, but being too stubborn to admit it, Archie often resorts to the blowing of a raspberry to show that he's still right no matter what anyone says. This portayal of prejudices through a buffoon like Archie atttempted to show the stupidity of these prejudices. On the other hand, "Modern Family" takes a very different approach, showing, "one big (straight, gay, multi-cultural, traditional) happy family." (IMDb: Modern Family) This portrayal, in contrast to that of "All in the Family," shows how far American society has come in ending prejudices, while also showing that there is still farther to go. This series is a mockumentary, meaning it is shown as if this were a real family that a camera crew follows around, portraying the family in documentary style. The family is shown as they deal with family problems and challenges, and while things may get a little heated at times, the whole family is loving and accepting of each other despite their many stark differences. The shows are similar because they deal with some of the same controversial issues, such as racism, sexism, and homosexuality.