The Office

This week I will be analyzing an episode of the TV show The Office. There are three stereotypes in the episode I want to discuss. First the cat women, second the stereotype of men not being crafty and creative, and third men being insensitive.

One of the main characters in the show is a single woman who announces to the office that she has just spent seven thousand dollars on a new cat. Also, she set up a nanny cam in her house so she can watch the cats interact while she is at work. This plays on the stereotype of older single women who have no children and their interests in cats. The show is sending the message that all women want to nurture and take care of things. And since the woman does not have children, all of her time and energy is focused on her cats. The show sends the message that men do not have this natural instinct because when she tells the men in the office none of them understand why she would spend that much money.

The second stereotype on this show is that women should be interested in party planning and crafts while men should not. This is shown because two men are put in charge of planning one of the female employee’s birthday parties and they mess everything up. They do not pay attention to details or what the birthday girl would want. The show is saying that men are thoughtless and again, women are more caring. Also, a comment is made by one of the men planning the party to the second man planning the party that is sign was feminine. The sign was full of stickers and glitter and was much decorated. The message was that men should not be concern with little details and accessorizing like women are.

The final stereotype on the show was that women should be more sensitive than men are. This was shown because Michael, the boss in the office, was very emotional and upset about an ex-girlfriends new relationship. As he has his breakdown it becomes apparent that everyone around him fells uncomfortable and confused by the situation because he is a man and no one know how to comfort him like they would a women. The show is saying that men should be tough and not show their feelings but it is okay for a women to.