Shameless Psych Paper - Grade: A+ PDF

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Comparing the show Shameless to a mental disorder....

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Running head: THEORY IN MEDIA AND REALITY SHAMELESS

Theory in Media and Reality: Shameless Swapna Abraham Texas Woman’s University

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SHAMELESS 2 Theory in Media and Reality: Shameless The TV show Shameless is a popular American dry humor comedy that is primarily based around the lifestyle and struggles of those who live below the poverty line. The show mainly focuses on the dysfunctional family of an alcoholic father named Frank Gallagher and his six kids (Paul Abbott, 2011). While Frank spends his days drunk and nights wandering around looking for trouble in the form of adventure, his six kids learn to fend for themselves. Fiona Gallagher is the eldest of the six kids and has the responsibility of taking care of the household and all its issues on her own while personally juggling her personal life as a 21-year-old in the ghetto part of town. Philip Gallagher is next in line after Fiona, although he is a young boy who is addicted to many substances like the rest of his family, “Lip” as they call him, is the smartest and most driven out of the family. He is easily breezing through his high school classes while stealing a few cars and selling drugs along the way (Paul Abbott, 2011). The red head out of the siblings is Ian Gallagher, a tall, strong, gentle hearted boy who has a dream to serve his country the only way he wants to which is through the army, all the while dealing with self-identity and trying to hide the fact that he’s gay from his family. Carl and Debbie Gallagher are the younger ones in the Gallagher family but their spirit and motivation to experience life is what drives them to learn about the real world. Liam is the last of the Gallagher kids and on top of his father being an alcoholic and addict, along the way Frank’s life crossed paths with an African American woman which resulted in Liam coming into the world. This entire movie discusses the hardships and struggles of a family being affected by the actions and consequences of Frank’s alcoholism and major drug addiction. Throughout all of that the six kids must deal with their daily issues and the problems that they get themselves into.

SHAMELESS 3 Concepts and Theories The main relationship which is seen in this series is the strong bond between the siblings throughout the obstacles and unfortunate events that come their way. Along the way the six kids learn to grow and change according to the circumstances in which they are put in. Many would think that because these kids were raised in such a terrible environment where they had to worry where their next meal came from, that they would turn into bad and mentally disturbed adults. However, the obstacles that they surpassed throughout the tv show proved to make them strong in a world where they were born with much less than many other people. And instead of growing up with hate and anger towards the society, they strived for greatness in the only way they knew how, through stealing, lying, drugs, addiction, and powerful motivation (Abbott 2011). While they challenged society’s standards and rules, Fiona and her siblings stayed together in times of trouble and would help in any way they could. Their neighbors, Kevin and Veronica, were also there when the family went through times. According to Erikson’s Theory, Fiona Gallagher and her siblings constantly search who they are while going through everyday life as a family much below the poverty line. When these kids interact with other kids in their same situation you can see that different levels of similarity they have. That is because many of the kids whose families are struggling must rely on other means of acquiring money of meals for the night. Even though their acts of stealing and violence land them in tough situations with the police, later they have the strength and confidence to do what other don’t even think of doing because they have never been in a situation where they had to cross so many lines. For the Gallagher family it was a, “start finding a way to make money you’re almost 7,” kind of mentality (Abbott 2011). Because of this idea, the youngest Gallagher kids are growing up a skull made of steel and heart made of stone. The identity of these siblings has been earned through hard work, a show of confidence and the ability to take whatever comes your way and make it other the other side alive. Another theory that defines the relationship between this dysfunctional family is Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. This theory suggests that, “children are born with an innate need to form attachments {…} such attachments aid in survival by ensuring that the child receives care and protection.” (Kendra Cherry, 2018). Carl, Debbi, and Liam are the youngest of the

SHAMELESS 4 Gallagher siblings and because of this they didn’t witness much of the cruelty their drunk father Frank put them through in the early stages of life. However, when Frank returns with dark intent, the three quickly learn that they can’t depend on their father for protection and care. The role of the guardian and provider is taken up by Fiona who must put her life on pause to take care of the broken family Frank left behind. Carl dabbles in his dark side and although he gets himself into trouble he still feels safe knowing that his older sister Fiona will be there to save him. Debbi quickly turns to Fiona when she needs help figuring out who she is as a woman and what being and older sister to Carl and Liam means. These kids learn to depend on Fiona for everything that a parent should be taking care of. However, because their addict of a father and bipolar mother have made it crystal clear that they don’t want to be in the kids’ lives, the role of being a mother and father falls onto the shoulders of Fiona. The title Shameless itself defines the story of this family. Having to go through life doing what they have to survive. Erickson’s theory suggests that because these six kids are experiencing tough situations and they are solving it on their own, later on in life they’ll be able to deal with almost anything. Also, Bowlby’s theory suggests no matter what a child will form a connection with the strongest form of guardian that they have because that is what they need to live. In Carl, Debbi, and Liam’s case, Fiona is that guardian they’ve formed a bond with.

SHAMELESS 5 Citations Berk, L. E. (2018). Exploring lifespan development (4th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Pearson.

Cherry, K., & Gans, S. (2018). Influential Theories About How Children Grow and Develop. Retrieved 2018, from https://www.verywellmind.com/child-development-theories2795068

Shameless (U.S. TV series). (2018, October 15). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shameless_(U.S._TV_series)...