The series Frontier House tries to recreate the conditions of nineteenth century pioneer life by sending three families from the twenty-first century to homestead in Montana and watches them adapt to their nineteenth century environment as they struggle to prepare for winter. The purpose of this is to give the viewers an insight into the reality of pioneer lives and make them understand the hardships the pioneers had to endure. The series claims to do that without romanticizing the topics of westward movement and frontier life as it is often done in literature and film.
The question is in how far such an experiment is authentic and can be educational for both the audience and the participants and whether the Format Living History is really serving its purpose in Frontier House. This leads to my thesis that although the series Frontier House claims to show the harsh reality of nineteenth century frontier life, it still romanticizes the era to a certain extent and in a way influences the viewer to believe in the mythology that is commonly connected to the time.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Main Part
- 2.1 The Authenticity of Frontier House
- 2.2 Romanticizing of Frontier Life in Frontier House
- 3. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The main objective of this analysis is to examine the representation of frontier life in the television series Frontier House, assessing its authenticity and exploring the extent to which it romanticizes the era. The analysis investigates whether the show successfully educates viewers about the realities of 19th-century pioneer life or instead perpetuates existing myths.
- Authenticity of Frontier House's depiction of frontier life
- The romanticization of frontier life in the series
- The educational value of the Living History format in Frontier House
- The influence of Reality TV elements on the historical accuracy of the series
- Comparison of the show's portrayal of pioneer life with established historical narratives and myths.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the analysis by introducing the central research question: to what extent does Frontier House accurately portray 19th-century pioneer life, and does it fulfill its purported educational goals? The chapter establishes the show's premise – sending modern families to live as 19th-century homesteaders – and introduces the concept of the romanticized view of frontier life often found in literature and film. The author's thesis statement posits that, despite claims to the contrary, Frontier House ultimately romanticizes the era. The chapter outlines the structure of the analysis, promising to investigate the show's authenticity and the ways in which it glorifies frontier life.
2. Main Part: This section forms the core of the analysis, diving into a detailed examination of Frontier House's portrayal of frontier life. It first explores the concept of the "American myth" surrounding the frontier and how this myth shapes viewers' expectations. The chapter then dissects the show's authenticity, using specific examples from different episodes to illustrate instances where the historical accuracy is compromised in favor of creating compelling Reality TV. The discussion considers participant behavior, the role of competition, and the balance between historical accuracy and the participants' personal experiences. It concludes by assessing how the series' emphasis on individual narratives compromises its educational goals.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Frontier House, Living History, Reality TV, Authenticity, Romanticization, 19th-century pioneer life, American West, Mythology, Homesteading, Educational value, Historical accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Frontier House
What is the main focus of this analysis?
This analysis examines the representation of 19th-century frontier life in the television series Frontier House. It assesses the show's authenticity and explores the extent to which it romanticizes this era. The key question is whether the show successfully educates viewers about the realities of pioneer life or perpetuates existing myths.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
The analysis investigates several key themes, including the authenticity of Frontier House's depiction of frontier life; the romanticization of frontier life in the series; the educational value of the Living History format used; the influence of Reality TV elements on historical accuracy; and a comparison of the show's portrayal with established historical narratives and myths.
What is the structure of the analysis?
The analysis is structured into three main parts: an introduction, a main part, and a conclusion. The introduction establishes the central research question and the author's thesis, which posits that Frontier House ultimately romanticizes the era despite its claims to authenticity. The main part delves into a detailed examination of the show's portrayal of frontier life, analyzing specific examples to illustrate instances where historical accuracy is compromised for the sake of creating compelling television. The conclusion summarizes the findings.
What are the chapter summaries?
The introduction sets the stage, establishing the research question and outlining the structure of the analysis. The main part forms the core, providing a detailed examination of Frontier House's portrayal of frontier life, analyzing its authenticity and the ways it potentially glorifies the era. The conclusion summarizes the findings and reinforces the author's thesis.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
The keywords are: Frontier House, Living History, Reality TV, Authenticity, Romanticization, 19th-century pioneer life, American West, Mythology, Homesteading, Educational value, Historical accuracy.
What is the overall conclusion of the analysis (without reading the full text)?
While the full conclusion isn't provided here, the introduction indicates that the author's thesis argues that despite claims to the contrary, Frontier House ultimately romanticizes 19th-century frontier life.
What type of text is this?
This is a language preview providing a comprehensive overview of an analysis of the television series Frontier House. It includes the table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
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- Katharina Gerhardt (Autor:in), 2015, Representing Frontier Life in the Living History Format "Frontier House", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/427439
