The show chosen for this assignment is Glee since it has diverse characters and demonstrates different kinds of relationships. Glee is an American musical satire drama TV series that was broadcasted on the Fox Network in the United States from May 19, 2009, to March 20, 2015. It centers around the made-up William McKinley High School Glee Club, New Directions, which consists of divergent individuals who deal with relationships, sexuality, and social issues and want to become successful.
Glee is often seen as a regular high school musical with elements of drama since it addresses acute topics such as teenage pregnancy, homophobia, alcohol or drug abuse, and other relevant issues. The show has a cliché segment of secondary school students who attend the Glee Club. The first character is Rachel Berry, an ambitious young lady aspiring to perform on Broadway. She dates Finn Hudson, a school-leading quarterback aiming to have a regular life. The next character is Quinn Fabray, a young lady who attends cheerleading classes and dates many guys throughout her school life. Brittany and Santana are Quinn’s best friends; they often gossip and intrigue others against the school’s outcasts. Two young ladies are constantly battling for the primary spot, and Brittany is always depicted as foolish.
Noah “Puck” Puckerman, a soccer player notorious for his love affairs, Kurt Hummer, the first open homosexual on the show, and Mercedes Jones, a black diva, are among other most significant characters in Glee. There is some division among the Glee Club’s members: there are seven men and nine ladies, every one of whom is the principal character. Even though the show was produced respectively recently, characters’ archetypes have long been present in the media.
The show primarily focuses on relationship development throughout the entire plotline. The main characters always encounter lies, betrayal, a sense of true love, and gratitude towards their partners. Most of them date each other for experience and to identify their sexuality. This paper primarily focuses on two couples: Rachel and Finn and Quinn and Noah since their relationship line is curious to trace throughout the series.
The first two did not find each other attractive initially because Finn considered Rachel to be an outsider and would often harass her. Rachel was raised in a same-sex family; her fathers instilled much self-confidence and pride in her. Thus, it can be observed that her desire to express herself overweighs her will to love and be loved. Meanwhile, Finn grew up in a single-parent family since his father passed away. Therefore, he sought to become a reliable man; yet, the absence of fatherly attention made him insecure about his adult life. For instance, once he could not figure out what to do after high-school graduation and felt frustrated because of limited occupation options.
However, after practicing singing together in the audience, they exchange a brief kiss, proving their mutual attraction. Once they start dating, they experience multiple problems and breakups for various reasons. Misunderstandings in their relationship arose due to the upbringing of Finn and Rachel. Finn may have been too simple for Rachel, as her vigor, confidence, and aspiration to become famous overshadowed her love for her boyfriend. She dreamed of being a Broadway star since her dads enrolled her in choir and drama clubs when she was a child, while Finn led an unremarkable life. Such opposition to fundamental principles in life leads to constant disagreements and conflicts (Berl, 2017). As a consequence, their different values and desires resulted in intermittent relationships. Regardless of their reunion in the final season, they did not manage to build a strong relationship.
Another remarkable relationship line is observed between Quinn Fabray, the head cheerleader and head of the celibacy club, and soccer player Noah Puckerman. Their interaction began with a one-night stand, which resulted in Quinn’s pregnancy. As soon as her parents discovered that their daughter was expecting a child, they were furious about it since they had a traditional and religious perception of a family. Meanwhile, teenagers became closer to each other due to the circumstances. Nevertheless, Quinn realized that they could not raise a child because she believed that Noah never knew what a committed relationship was. Thus, she decided to give the baby for adoption, and they broke up. At that stage, they both understood their incompatibility in values and goals. According to Berl (2017), when partners do not pursue common goals, they do not have a solid foundation for developing their relationship. Even though they rekindled feelings for each other after graduation, their union did not seem long-lasting.
In conclusion, it seems vital to mention that when societal norms evolve, the views on family creation and relationship entering completely alter. The modern world presents a range of traditional and non-traditional structures of relations. Therefore, it can be noted that the family plays an essential part in personality formation. Contemporary TV shows demonstrate the dynamics of the characters’ love affairs, paying attention to their psychological characteristics. Therefore, people’s worldview on establishing a connection with another person depends on their previous family experience.
Reference
Berl, L. (2017). Exploring lifespan development (4th ed.). Pearson.