Roseanne and Class Warfare

Upon watching the pilot episode of “Roseanne”, it is easy to identify many themes of class warfare and related topics. It is unique among sitcoms of its time in that it depicts a more “working class” family (in comparison to shows like “The Cosby Show”). This seems to be evident in the fact that Roseanne, the main character, works full time at a factory while her husband is having difficulty finding work. Furthermore, “Roseanne” addresses many cultural issues related to class struggle.

For example, Roseanne’s work life seems to deeply affect her home and family life. This is particularly evident when Roseanne has to take off work early to talk to her daughter’s teacher, who addressed the fact that her daughter was having behavioral issues that she thought might have been caused by a lack of interaction with Roseanne and other home issues. However, Roseanne responds by saying that she works eight hours a day, has three children, and, therefore, is unable to spend “quality time” with her kids.
Additionally, in the pilot episode of “Roseanne”, she and her husband get into an argument over the balance of work and household responsibilities; Roseanne argues that she works full time and does all the housework while her husband does nothing, and he tries to defend himself.

I feel that Roseanne was ultimately a successful show because, like many sources of comedic entertainment, it portrays situations and characters that are relatable to a large number of people. However, it is significant to note that such a large number of people are able to identify with a family such as Roseanne’s, one which struggles with time management, finances, and their relationships with one another, and are able to take their difficult situations and find them humorous. Nevertheless, it is easy to see many examples of the struggles and stereotypes associated with class warfare in “Roseanne”.