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''Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture'' is a
non-fiction Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...
compilation work analyzing the effect of the
television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
program ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' on society, edited by John Alberti. The book was published in 2004 by
Wayne State University Press Wayne State University Press (or WSU Press) is a university press that is part of Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public university, public research university in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Founded in 186 ...
. Contributors to the work include academics associated with Northern Kentucky University, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, The Australian National University, and the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...
. The book discusses the nature of ''The Simpsons'' and its impact on society from the perspective of popular culture and that of
political satire Political satire is a type of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics. Political satire can also act as a tool for advancing political arguments in conditions where political speech and dissent are banned. Political satir ...
. The work received a positive review from Luke E. Saladin of Scripps Howard News Service for the breadth of issues discussed in the book, and was criticized by Cathlena Martin in a review in the journal ''ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics Studies'' for a lack of discussion and analysis of gender issues and the role of women in the television series.


Authors

John Alberti, the editor of the work, is also the writer of the book's introduction. Alberti teaches American literature and critical studies at Northern Kentucky University, where he is an associate professor of English. Alberti notes that there is a distinction between poking fun at something and satire: "Satire involves defining a kind of moral or political point of view and using humor to show how it's not living up to this ethical standard." Alberti told CanWest News Service that rather than the Fox Network, the most valuable database for information on ''The Simpsons'' when doing research for the book was "an online archive established, maintained and vetted by unpaid ''Simpsons'' enthusiasts". Other contributors include David L. G. Arnold, who teaches English at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point; Duncan Stuart Beard, who holds a Ph.D. in English literature from The Australian National University; and Mick Broderick, Associate Director of the Centre for Millennial Studies the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...
.


Contents

The book analyzes the impact of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'', both as a popular television program as well as its use of
political satire Political satire is a type of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics. Political satire can also act as a tool for advancing political arguments in conditions where political speech and dissent are banned. Political satir ...
. ''Leaving Springfield'' discusses the financial success the program has had, despite often parodying the forms of capitalism it also promotes. Commentators in the book take a look at the use of parody and satire in society to critique itself by discussing the impact of the television series on its viewership and its place within television comedy history.


Reception

Luke E. Saladin of Scripps Howard News Service notes that an "especially popular theme in the essays" contained in the work is the fact that ''The Simpsons'' promotes its nature as a corporate product of Fox, while simultaneously denigrating the Fox network in jabs during the program. Saladin also notes that essays in the book discuss ''The Simpsons''' "place in television history, its treatment of social issues and capitalism, and everything else from the Cold War and nuclear arms to what Homer Simpson's
narcissism Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive preoccupation with oneself and one's own needs, often at the expense of others. Narcissism, named after the Greek mythological figure ''Narcissus'', has evolv ...
tells us about our own tendencies". In her review of the book for the journal ''ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics Studies'', Cathlena Martin is critical, and points out that the book "lacks a feminist study of ''The Simpsons''", noting: "A weakness of this collection is that it does not address more gender issues and analyze the main or supporting female characters more. ... The lack of analysis with regard to the female members of Springfield is decisively missing." Jeremy G. Butler cites the book as an example in his work ''Television: Critical Methods and Applications'', when noting that "books on ''The Simpsons'' have become a cottage industry". An essay from the book on "Cultural Conflicts" is required reading in a
sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...
course on ''The Simpsons'': "The Simpsons Global Mirror", at the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
.


References


Further reading

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External links


''Leaving Springfield:'' The Simpsons ''and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture''
website of book's publisher

introduction to the book, at The Simpsons Archive {{The Simpsons books 2003 non-fiction books Non-fiction books about The Simpsons