Soapbox Madness!

by Julie Wroblewski

Synopsis of Plot:

Marge is concerned over Homer's relationship with Bart and his parenting skills in general. Homer attempts to bond with Bart by helping him with his soapbox derby car, only to have Bart reject their project for Martin's better, faster one. Homer realizes that he does want to be a good (or at least better) father, and goes to extreme measures to make amends.

My Scholarly Derridean Deconstruction:

The episode focuses on the lack of a relationship between Homer and Bart. At the beginning of the show, Bart enters, asking "Hey Dad, you got any power tools?" Bart's use of "Dad" is unique; he usually uses "Homer," and in fact does so for most of the rest of the episode. The absence of the word "Dad" in Bart's vocabulary emphasizes the absence of Homer as father for Bart.

Homer's attempts to assume a traditional father role lead him to the national Fatherhood institute, only to have him forget his intentions. When the researchers ask him about his boy, he replies "What boy?" In most episodes, Homer does refer to Bart as "boy," and this absence of a name also signifies the lack of a good filial relationship between the two. Furthermore, Homer's carpentry skills are pathetic, as bad as his skills at constructing a fatherhood role. Homer's failure at fatherly constructions lead Bart to reject him, for the two to try to become as separate as possible.

As Derrida has explained, this kind of complete separation between things cannot really occur. Bart and Homer, for all their lack of traditional roles, still contain far too much of each other. Homer pouts, Bart chastises. Homer breaks down and watches Bart race in Martin's car, but still holds back as he shouts, "Do it for your old man, boy!" Bart, however, realizes the extent of their entwined natures; when he accepts the trophy, he states "I was alone out there, but someone was riding with me in spirit - my dad." Together, Homer and Bart nyah nyah the other competitors. The real issue which concerns them both in this episode is LOVE (their love for each other), which neither Homer nor Bart ever mention.

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