Question

Share the Load

Wow! I love this commercial and I hope you did too, especially based on everything you've learned in class this week and throughout the quarter. Take a moment and respond below:

1. Why do you suppose the grandfather is the one who is the designated bearer of this message? What does it suggest about Indian family structure?

2. Why do you think this commercial so controversial when it came out last year? Would it be controversial in the U.S.?

Below is the link is the commerical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwW0X9f0mME

Answer 1

1. In my view, the grandfather is the designated bearer of this message because of his position is the normative head of the family. As the video also points out, parents serve as role models who set examples for their children. Perhaps, the grandfather hopes that by virtue of his position in the family and the actions he takes up now will convey a strong and positive example for the later generations. This video seems to suggest that in the Indian family structure, grandparents have an important role to play in shaping family dynamics.

2. This ad was quite controversial perhaps because it directly speaks about how gender is socially constructed and perpetuated by existing patriarchal norms. It communicates to the viewers that the male members of the family, that exert their dominance in many subtle ways are very much responsible for the sharp gender divide that exists in the society. This ad is not likely to be controversial in the US because the country has already been having a discourse related to these issues.