Emily Austen Sproul
Over the last few weeks, I have been thinking about what TV show I think best represents class diversity and analysis, and only one show came to mind. That show would be Gossip Girl. I know it sounds strange and perhaps very feminine, but this show contains so much diversity and we see different class standards from multiple different angles. For those who have not seen or heard of this show, let me break it down for you. Gossip Girl is a TV show that centered around the lives of a few different people who live in New York City. The show begins with these characters as teenagers, and as the show continues, we see these characters’ lives unfold. Some of the characters live on the upper east side of NYC; making them some of the most elite of society. A few of the main characters reside in Brooklyn, which is seen as more of a middle class living area. The characters’ family backgrounds, financial stability, and attitudes are how we see the different levels of class, and what can happen to those who seem to think money can buy literally anything.
Let’s break this down by character.
First, we have Serena Van Der Woodsen. This young lady is tall, blonde, and beautiful. The ideal dream girl who seems to have it all. Serena grew up wealthy and lived on the upper east side with her mother and brother. Serena’s mother Lily was married several times to many different men who were not Serena’s father. Because of Serena’s lack of self-respect from what we, the audience, can tell to be “daddy issues”, Serena is heavily involved in underage drinking, drug use, and partying. When the series begins, we find out Serena is returning from a boarding school where she had spent the last year of her life. Despite Serena’s many attempts to behave after attending boarding school, she finds that her class status in society keeps her in the midst of the trouble.
Next, we have Blair Waldorf. Blair is the daughter of a world renown fashion designer who always seem to have her eye on the prize and not always her daughter, which, at times, causes Blair to act out. Similar to Serena, Blair often finds herself scheming her way in and out of various situations because she believes her class status excuses her from being mature. Because Serena and Blair are best friends who share the reckless and careless attitudes, the audience often sees them working together to use their class status to alter the world to their liking.
Then, we meet Dan Humphrey. Dan attended high school with Serena, Blair, and a few other upper east side born individuals. However, Dan was born and raised in Brooklyn with his sister by their former rock star father and their artistic mother. Dan dates Serena while in high school, and after their relationship ends, they become step siblings when Lily, Serena’s mother, and Rufus, Dan’s father, get married. Because Dan grew up in a more structured and strict home environment, he is often ruled as irrelevant to those of a higher-class status due to the fact Dan and his family do not come from money.
So, why does this matter? Well, this TV series demonstrates how having high financial status and power in society can lead to a lifestyle that seems unrealistic and, at times, dangerous in its own ways. The textbook How to Watch Television discusses how certain shows can alter an audiences’ view of reality. Just because someone possesses money in high quantities and seems to always be in the spotlight, it does not excuse inappropriate behavior. 
While there are many different shows and characters besides those of Gossip Girl that portray this sense of idiocy in those of a higher class status, it is important to always remember that, while it may be entertaining, it is indeed not reality.
Criticizing Culture 