Representation of Marriage and Relationships in Romantic Comedies from 2010

Abstract

The mass media portrays traditional forms of marital status in contemporary films despite changing demographics. This thesis argues that romantic relationships are presented as a normative and significant part of completing a predetermined life course in adulthood. Specifically, recent films are entrenched with ideological messages regarding heterosexual marriage and fail to represent singles adequately. In Canadian society, legal marriage is becoming less frequent, common law relationships are increasing, family formations are more diverse, and individuals are happily choosing to be single. Therefore, it is crucial to explore if the media, a powerful socializing agent, communicates a preference for marriage by promoting the ideology of marriage. A content analysis was performed on nine top grossing films that were released in 2010. Overall, the findings demonstrate that regardless of changing demographics, the media privileges marriage and marginalizes singlehood. These films contribute to strengthening traditional ideologies of marriage and family and reinforce discrimination against singles.