A、By a working class family with parents and children. B、By the writers’ experience. C、By characters and current issues represen

The Simpsons is about a white, working class family in an average American town called Springfield. The mother is the intelligent and responsible blue-haired Marge.(7)The father, Homer, works at the nuclear power center. Homer is lazy, fat, stupid and selfish but still lovable. The Simpson children are Bart, Lisa and baby Maggie. Bart gets into a lot of trouble and does poorly in school. Lisa is an excellent student and deep thinker, as well as a great musical instrument player. Maggie does not talk, but expresses herself in her own way. Cartoonist Matt Groening created The Simpsons. He has said that Bart is partly based on himself.(8)The cartoonist has said no one expected The Simpsons to become such a huge success. One reason for its popularity is the large number of funny characters in Springfield. They provide a good, if sometimes extreme, representation of America. Another reason is because the show explores current issues in American life. They include freedom of speech, election corruption, environmental destruction and common family problems. The show makes fun of many social, religious, political and cultural issues.(9)Because it is a cartoon show, the Simpsons can go anywhere and do anything, so the writers never run out of ideas. Critics say the show is still interesting, intelligent and funny after almost twenty years. The Simpsons has won more than twenty Emmy Awards.(10)Critics have called it one of the best American television shows in history.