Assignment 1-3 : Journal Article Analysis

For this week assignment, I was required to select an article from the Journal of Popular Culture. The purpose here was to have every single member of the class read an article and shares the findings in the class’ blogs. As a result we all should become up to date of what is considered pop culture among us today. The article I was able to found was about a sea sponge at the bottom of the sea “SpongeBob SquarePants: Pop Culture Tsunami or More?” by Johan Lee Rice. The purpose of this article was to show “how does SB function as a children’s show” and what does a viewer gain from it (Rice).

At first, the author started describing the lead role of his character SpongeBob (SB) in the show that is intended for children between two and twelve but viewed by audiences from different ages. (Rice) “It is the top-rated children’s show on network and cable “(Rice). He also included the role of the other main characters along with their relationship to the SB “His friend Patrick Starfish, his boss Mr. Krabbs, his surly neighbor Squidward, his pet snail Gary, a friend Sandy the Squirrel who lives under the sea” (Rice).

Moreover, Rice has moved to underline SB marketing role in generating over than $750 million in products alone (Rice). Also, SB is considered as ‘‘a marketer’s dream come true’’ (Rice). From party decoration to video games SB is always a hot sell for all ages (Rice). Its marketing achievement is a derivative from the success of the television show (Rice).
After the informative introduction, Rice begins his analysis on what kind of shows attracts the audience. In his analysis, it shows that “gender is more of a factor” as boys are attracted to violence and action while girls are attracted to clarity and innocuousness (Rice). In addition, there are five different types of shows that server different purpose including: superhero, social relations, slapstick, magazine format, and adventure (Rice). Along with the types, there are five structures in fictional shows including: “ironic (rhetoric of the loser, like Archie Bunker), mimetic (slice of life, like Happy Days), leader centered (take charge central character, like the Cosby Show), romantic (ordinary people placed in extraordinary situations, like Miami Vice), and mythic (mystical experience, like Star Trek)” (Rice).

Moreover, the studies conducted to analysis the children most watches shows have revealed that children want to watch mythic and leader fictional shows (Rice). After combining the five types with the five structures of shows, SB is found to combine all of the five types “ironic and mimetic types are most apparent, but elements of the others are present” and as a result, SB is one of the most popular shows appealing to audience from all ages (Rice). In addition, “SB exists as a show of many types for many people, including adults” (Rice). Even though SB is not of magazine format type, it still can fulfill the education role that Barney and Sesame Street play in teaching children morals and good values (Rice). Along that, SB can also teach humanitarian values such as fear, love and friendship (Rice). Also, for adults, the show is intended to wipe off stress and help individuals relax while enjoying another adventure at the Bikini Bottom (Rice). More than that, SB is considered as “very culture oriented in a metaphoric way” (Rice). In other words, everyone can enjoy a laugh or two while watching culture circumstance of everyday life taking ironic turns against the normal in our society (Rice).

In addition and in order to validate his finding, a questionnaire about SB was done among participant from three different categories that involve eighty one K-4 grade, sixty nine high school, and thirty five college undergrads students (Rice). The result driving from the questionnaire shows that K-4 students love to watch the show more than three times a week while making SB as the main loveable character. Also, the high school students were in favor of watching the show while making Patrick the star fish as their favorite character. In the hand, the college students tend not to watch the show as often as the rest of the interviewed groups. Such result has confirmed the fact that “the claims made about the attraction to the ironic loser who teaches real-life lessons, a mimetic force” (Rice). Also, it looks like adult tend to watch the show in or order to escape versus children who learn from watching the show.

SB is one of my favorite shows that I tend to watch occasionally. The SB characters promote so many good values and morals. It is also a representation for innocence and bravery. Last year, I watched a movie called “The Invention of Lying” and it was talking about the first person lying at a time when the truth was the only way of communication among individuals. I found that the movie morals were similar to the character of SB as the later never lies or shows any attention to harm anyone. And that is the key of why myself and others admire and continue to watch the SB show

Refrence:
Jonah, R. (2009). SpongeBob SquarePants: Pop Culture Tsunami or More? Journal of Popular Culture Volume 42, Issue: 6. P 1092-1114. Retrieved on June 1st 2010 from: http://0-journals.ohiolink.edu.olinkserver.franklin.edu/ejc/article.cgi?issn=00223840&issue=v42i0006&article=1092_sspctom