There are many ways to try to instill life lessons in today's society, whether in the form of films, books or perhaps -be even songs. Television today is the most common way we seem to learn life's lessons. We can see these valuable lessons being relayed through television series such as “Modern Family” and “Friends.” It's TV series like these where life lessons like individuality and respect for others come into play. The American version of "The Office" is an example of one of the many television series available. The show follows the whimsical office workers at Dunder-Mifflin, a paper supplier in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The mockumentary format with one-on-one discussions with employees and awkward/idiosyncratic but relatable plots actually made this series extremely popular. The show's team depicts life's most difficult/embarrassing situations, not only to make their audience understand and laugh, but also to teach valuable life lessons. I specifically chose to deconstruct the unforgettable episode “Goodbye, Michael” from the seventh season of “The Office.” The episode follows the main character, Michael, on his last day of work at the office. Through symbolism, narration, and extreme close-ups, Michael demonstrates the episode's intended theme that sometimes goodbyes can be difficult, even for the toughest people. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout the series, one of the factors that sets The Office apart from other shows is that there is not a single designated narrator. The show is often narrated by all Dunder-Mifflin employees. Since there is no specific narrator, this allows audience members to see the characters' point of view and how they feel about certain situations they find themselves in. In this specific episode, Michael is a key plot prospect. During one of his one-on-one chats, it was revealed during his phone call with Holly that he was flying out later that day. While throughout his shift he continually tells everyone in the office that he isn't leaving until the next day. By lying to all his employees about the day he actually leaves Michael, he avoids the final goodbyes which he knew would become too emotional for him. As a result, throughout the episode he plans all of his goodbyes individually. Some goodbyes as gifts and others with advice. Some employees received funny gifts like the cheap scarecrow doll Oscar received, while other characters received awkwardly sincere gifts like the letter of recommendation for Dwight. Instead of revealing the truth to his employees, Michael uses these gifts because to him they feel like goodbye without having to be as emotional. With only the audience and Michael aware that these are goodbyes, we get a real sense of who these characters are and what their relationship with Michael has developed throughout the series. Although Michael plays an obnoxious jerk, he learns to accept that he uses his humor as a defense mechanism, which is normal when dealing with individuals going through difficult situations. As Sovereign Health explains, “humor can be a useful defense mechanism used to cope with unpleasant circumstances or past trauma. However, this habit can become destructive when used to harm others or cover upan individual's insecurities or anxiety. "Essentially, in Michael's case, he acts harshly and humorously towards his employees, but behind the scenes, the audience is able to see how negatively these goodbyes affect them. Michael throughout the day through his individual discussions. As the episode continues, many forms of symbolism are displaced, illustrating how difficult this all is for Michael. One of many including his new World's Best Boss trophy. Throughout the 7 seasons of The Office, Michael had a mug with the words "World's Best Boss" that he had to go out of his way to buy. . However, in this episode, he reveals at the beginning how everyone in the office helped buy him a trophy that recognizes him as "World's Best Boss 2011". After receiving such an award, he throws away his beloved mug, which is a big deal in the series. Before this episode, the mug symbolized Michael's dedication and love for his employees and his work. But after finally receiving a trophy from each of them, Michael enters a new realm where his employees finally appreciate him the way he always appreciated them. This alone makes things much worse for Michael because he finally achieved what he always wanted in his career, to be appreciated and loved by his employees. As the goodbyes start to get too surreal and more difficult, Oscar asks Michael a simple question: "What address should we send your last paycheck to?" This simple question sends Michael into a depression, as Michael has no idea where his home in Colorado is. For many years, the office was a place where he felt safe and, according to Allumniportal, “home can give us direction and serve as a safe anchor in these times when everything is changing rapidly. But many people feel homeless because they have had to leave their homes.” Essentially, for many people like Michael, a house symbolizes stability, strength, ownership and shelter. Not knowing where his new home was, he felt very vulnerable. For so long, his home was the office and his employees were his family and in that moment he realized that his “home” was no longer his home. Finally, a big factor in many episodes of The Office are the extreme close-ups. employees to highlight their reaction or emotion to something. In this specific episode, there are many close-ups of Michael. In a specific scene where Michael is sitting eating alone in the break room, the cameraman zooms in on Michael's impassive face. Instead of sitting with everyone, he sits in the background, analyzing and taking everything in one last time. Although throughout this episode Michael tries to act strong and say that he is not emotional, this scene says otherwise. They somehow manage to convey this simply by zooming in on Michael's face, while everyone is just minding their own business while eating. Through his facial expression and presence, the audience sees that he will miss the environment and being with everyone, even though he really tries not to express such emotions. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper from our expert now. writers.Get a Custom EssayIn summary, The Office is more than just a sitcom. The show is a work of art. Because the series is a mockumentary, it really stands out from other series because it makes the series feel much more real. The characters often ask the audience questions and talk to the camera about their problems, making.