“This is exactly why we sweep things under the rug:” A Polite approach to ABC’s Modern Family Presented to the Faculty Liberty University School of Communication Studies In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Communication Studies By Andrea D. Fasciano December 2013 Fasciano 2 Thesis Committee _________________________________________________________________________ Faith E. Mullen, Ph.D., Chair Date _________________________________________________________________________ Lynnda S. Beavers, Ph.D. Date _________________________________________________________________________ William L. Mullen, Ph.D. Date Fasciano 3 Copyright © 2013 Andrea Fasciano All Rights Reserved Fasciano 4 This is dedicated to: Janette, who always believed Wavi, who offered to collect my tears when I doubted Adrian and Owen, who hold my heart Nancy, what’s wrong? Fasciano 5 Acknowledgements This thesis would not have been written without the guidance and support of my committee. Dr. Faith Mullen taught me the love of communication theory, Dr. Lynnda Beavers taught me to see it everywhere, and Dr. Bill Mullen taught me its scholarly pursuit. The Lacy family provided me with a roof over my head and so very much more. I wish to thank Timothy and Stephanie for stretching me and putting up with a very preoccupied babysitter. I promise to pay better attention to you now that this is complete. My dear friends, Janette and Wavi listened patiently while I laid out countless “worst case scenario” plans, and always knew they would never be implemented. I found so many friends in the desks around me. Their support and criticism throughout my program has made me a better scholar and person. I will always look fondly on our time learning together. Fasciano 6 Abstract The sitcom has remained a popular choice for television viewers since its inception. They have evolved in their methods of entertaining their audiences, often depicting unlikeable characters engaging in antisocial behaviors. This study examines one such sitcom, Modern Family, through the lens of Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory, and related concepts contributed by other theorists. These theorists maintain that a primary motive behind any interaction is the presentation and maintenance of a chosen identity or “face.” Those actions that fail to maintain face, for either participant are called “face-threatening acts.” This study attempts to determine if the characters behave in ways consistent with the assumptions of these theories. The researcher examined the complete first season of Modern Family and found that half of the main characters freely and frequently commit politeness violations. The ramifications of such a narrative are discussed, as well as limitation of the current study. Finally possible avenues of future related research are provided. Key words: Face Management Theory, Politeness Theory, Modern Family, Face Concerns, Television, Sitcom, Mockumentary Fasciano 7 “This is exactly why we sweep things under the rug:” A Polite Approach to ABC’s Modern Family Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction..………………………………………………………………………..9 Chapter 2: Literature Review………………………………………………………………...13 Review of Literature on Face and Related Concepts.……………………………………21 A Survey of Literature on the Sitcom……………………………………………………33 Chapter 3: Methodology………………………………………………………………………..45 Chapter 4: Results………………………………………………………………………………48 Pilot………………………………………………………………………………………48 Run for Your Wife……………………………………………………………………….50 The Bicycle Thief………………………………………………………………………..52 Come Fly with Me……………………………………………………………………….54 The Incident……………………………………………………………………………...55 Coal Digger………………………………………………………………………………58 En Garde…………………………………………………………………………………61 Great Expectations……………………………………………………………………….64 Undeck the Halls…………………………………………………………………………66 Up All Night……………………………………………………………………………..69 Not in my House…………………………………………………………………………72 Fifteen Percent…………………………………………………………………………...75 Moon Landing……………………………………………………………………………77 My Funky Valentine……………………………………………………………………..80 Fasciano 8 Fears……………………………………………………………………………………...81 Truth Be Told…………………………………………………………………………….83 Starry Night………………………………………………………………………………86 Game Changer…………………………………………………………………………...88 Benched…………………………………………………………………………………..91 Travels with Scout……………………………………………………………………….93 Airport 2010……………………………………………………………………………...96 Hawaii……………………………………………………………………………………98 Family Portrait………………………………………………………………………….100 Discussion………………………………………………………………………………103 Chapter 5: Limitations, Recommendations for Future Research, and Conclusion………113 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...117 Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………119 Appendix – Episode List………………………………………………………………………125 Fasciano 9 Chapter 1: Introduction The sitcom genre has enjoyed much popularity and success throughout the television era. As a ubiquitous form of mass communication, the genre warrants study into its functions and the appeal it holds for various audiences. Many sitcoms have received various critical treatments. Kocela (2009) reported on the popularity of The Office; Walte (2007) analyzed the humor represented in the sitcom Friends. However, few researchers have used social science theories of communication to frame a rhetorical analysis of any television sitcom. A notable exception, though, is Paolucci and Richardson (2006), which analyzed the sitcom Seinfeld according to Erving Goffman’s interaction paradigm. Goffman’s face management theory and its related successor, Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory, have remained popularly accepted theories of human communication. They are theories of impression management, describing how human beings interact with one another in an attempt to present a specific, predetermined identity, or face, to the world. As previously mentioned, these frameworks have not extensively been applied to the interactions between characters on sitcoms. While much literature exists on the topic of sitcoms, a study such as this one will provide a further understanding of how characters created for entertainment either adhere to or depart from behaviors we would expect based on these theories. Specifically, in the current study, the researcher examines the interactions between the characters on Modern Family from these theoretical frameworks. The purpose of this study is to determine what, if any, politeness violations are portrayed in this mockumentary sitcom. The researcher will use these frameworks to establish expectations of human behavior and then note when the characters do not meet them. Fasciano 10 The following chapters present a review featuring some of the past research done related to these frameworks to be studied as well as the methods for examining them, and then background information on the program in question. The literature review will provide the reader with a thorough understanding of these identity management frameworks and their basic assumptions about human behavior. This chapter also presents both qualitative and quantitative studies using these frameworks applied to real-life situations. Here the reader will also encounter various studies on certain sitcoms, which will function as a reference point for the study to be conducted. The methodology section will contain the research focus as well as a thorough description of how the researcher will conduct this examination. This chapter will also explain the scope of the study, and provide information on the popular culture text to be examined. The following literature review contains extensive information on the theories of face management and politeness, as well as examples of studies performed on sitcoms. This chapter will provide results of past studies on politeness, and therefore function as a frame of reference for the behaviors described in the analysis. These theories have been well supported by past research, and the upcoming pages provide examples of that. The past analyses of television programs describe various possible approaches and validate the importance of such a study. Few would argue that sitcoms are not a staple of the average American’s entertainment diet. Many of these programs have left seemingly indelible marks on society, from I Love Lucy to Seinfeld. As a reflection of society, the sitcom warrants much study, particularly within the communication field. The understanding of successful mass communication contributes to our knowledge of communication practices and preferences, and our ability to produce impactful media. It is valuable, then, to know what characteristics a given successful television program Fasciano 11 possesses, for program creators, audiences, and scholars alike. An understanding of typical human behavior, and whether or not sitcom characters display this, may contribute to a better understanding of what will constitute a successful sitcom. The following presents literature on face management and politeness theories, and studies that have validated these theories quantitatively. It will also present past research showing the ways sitcom has successfully been studied. While, few researchers have chosen to study sitcoms in the way this study does, this literature review will serve to justify such a study. Erving Goffman’s face management theory explains everyday social interaction as humanity’s method of establishing and presenting their desired face, or identity, to the world, and also working to preserve and protect that identity once established. Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory builds upon