Tionna A. ThorntonEnglish 1101Dr. K. Leatherwood15 October 2014Cultural criticism - Folk and pop How "modern" is the modern family? Almost everyone has seen or heard of the American Broadcasting Company's (ABC) hit television show, Modern Family. And, in my opinion, if you haven't, you have no idea what good is. According to ABC.com, Modern Family is "... rapidly establishing itself as a culturally defining series (ABC)." After receiving four consecutive Emmy Awards for Best Comedy Series and a Golden Globe for Best Comedy Television Series, Modern Family seems unstoppable, returning for its sixth season. The idea for Modern Family was quickly accepted and became a necessity for ABC broadcasts. According to a blog on As evident from the title, the show's three star families were created to represent examples of society's definition of "modern" family. The first family, consisting of Jay Prichett, his second wife, Gloria Prichett, their infant son, Fulgencio Joe Pritchett, and Gloria's 14-year-old son from a previous relationship, Manny Delgado, is a representation of a blended family. Jay is a rich old entrepreneur while Gloria is Colombian and, through the show, reminds us of her heritage and her poor family background. They have an age difference of almost 30 years. Research shows that 40% of married couples in the United States are stepparents, meaning at least one spouse has had at least one child from a previous relationship (Smart Stepfamilies). In the episode Bringing Up Baby, Jay turns 65 and wants to celebrate his birthday, quietly, at home. However, his older friends think differently. Jay's son-in-law and his friends kidnap him and take him on a fishing trip. From being punished in the face by his son-in-law to being pushed overboard in the cold lake to being told horrible stories about aging, this surprise escape doesn't make this a happy birthday. Meanwhile, Gloria struggles to tell Jay that she is pregnant. Fearing Jay's reaction, Gloria first and foremost Claire is a stay-at-home mother while Phil, despite his dumb personality, is considered the breadwinner, working as a real estate agent. Together, Phil and Claire had three children. Their first daughter, Hailey, is known for her attractiveness and her stereotypically vacuous character. Alex, who is the middle child of the three, can mostly be recognized for her nerdy and intelligent nature. The youngest Dunphy is Luke. Luke can best be described as innocent and awkward. This family represents the social concept of the "traditional" family. The Dunphys are a nuclear family, much like the typical "1950s family smiling behind the [white] picket fence (Strothkamp)". Phil is the typical provider dad and is often involved in the daily activities of both his wife and children. Claire's role includes all the stereotypical chores of a housewife, as well as trying to keep up with the antics of her eccentric husband and their three active children. In the episode "Halloween", Claire expresses her love for the holiday, Halloween, which led to the transformation of the Dunphy house into a haunted house for local trick-or-treaters. As a stay-at-home mother, give each family member a role to play. Comically, everything that was planned goes completely wrong. After two failed attempts to scare away the trick-or-treaters, Claire gets angry and leaves