Introductions: Theory: Examples: Summaries: Applicaitons: Process:
It is also important to look at historical events and trends that precede and follow the object you are analyzing.
Take Archie Bunker again for example. He followed the liberal late sixties. The early All in the Family shows were produced during the early 70s, which saw the women's liberation movement come to prominence. The early shows/years portrayed Archie negatively, showing liberal daughter Gloria and liberal/educated Mike in a positive way.
Later, as the show approached the 80s, Archie became more of the focus of the show and he became a more likable anti-hero. This appeared as we neared the swing toward conservatism in the 80s. (Another sign of this trend was male hair styles: 70s liberal and long hair; 80s conservative and short again.)
These shifts reflect shifts in the cultural mythology/ideology that inform our thinking and direct how we see/read the world.
Just for fun take a look at this comparison between Archie and Homer Simpson.