THE LOSER DAD TROPE AND MARGINALIZATION OF PATERNAL AUTHORITY: AN ANALYSIS OF GREG AND PHIL BETTERMAN IN THE CROODS

Abstract

Gaye Tuchman’s concept of symbolic annihilation—where media omit or trivialize certain identities—has been extended to domestic masculinity, revealing how paternal figures are ridiculed or sidelined. This study examines the marginalization of fathers in The Croods and The Croods: A New Age, focusing on characters like Grug and Mr. Betterman. Grug’s traditional masculinity is repeatedly challenged by the younger, progressive Guy, reducing his authority to comic relief. Similarly, Mr. Betterman embodies the “loser dad” trope—his overprotectiveness and jealousy generate more chaos than order. Employing textual analysis alongside Douglas and Michaels’s The Loser Dad Troupe and Heinrich’s Crisis of Paternal Authority, the paper traces the decline and transition of hegemonic masculinity on screen. It critically assesses whether these portrayals reinforce negative stereotypes or subvert outdated patriarchal norms. By spotlighting men’s experiences of familial marginalization, the study argues for a more nuanced representation of paternal agency in contemporary media.