Itchy Scratchy And Marge

Itchy, Scratchy and Marge was a Simpsons episode that featured both reality, possibility and A LOT of societal inferences. When Maggie, the youngest and seemingly less affected of the three children based on age, begins directly imitating the violence that the mouse and cat duo Marge tries to find the source of this violence. While the family is sitting in front of the television and Bart and Lisa watch with an exaggerative laugh, the brutal fighting starts to affect Maggie on the spot. Marge realize this and immediately decides to make actions.

After banning the Itchy and Scratchy show in their house, Marge seeks a greater response from the general public. The creator’s initial reaction to her plea for non graphic imagery is sarcastic, uninfluenced and rude. Playing into the humor of the show, Marge’s plea for Itchy and Scratchy to get along, is answered with them bonding over the death of a squirrel that strongly resembles Marge’s character.

However, when parents start responding to Marge’s actions and the show is forced to become amicable and therefore unwatched, Springfield turns into a 1950’s utopia. Children on swings, the youth interacting pleasantly and parents worry- free make the audience wonders if this world is possible without the detrimental effects of today’s television. When another controversial piece of art though is criticized for doing the same, we are faced with a reality check.

The world today is inevitable with our technology and modern lifestyle. What is exploitation to one, is beauty to another… and the world we are a part of is what we must try to make the best of.