A Quick Note on Narrative Mirroring, or: Learning from The Simpsons

Watching the Ruth Powers episode of The Simpsons. When she picks Marge up for their night out, Marge says Ruth looks “Nice,” and Ruth insists that nothing about this night is going to be nice. Then she pops a tape into the stereo: it’s Lesley Gore’s “Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows”. Maybe the nicest song ever written. “Sorry,” Ruth says. “Wrong tape.” Then she pops in “Welcome to the Jungle”.

Skip ahead four scenes. Wiggum is giving Homer a ride home, after coming across him up at the top of Mt. Springfield. (Or at least wherever the Hollywood-esque sign that reads “SPRINGFIELD” sits.) He’s behind Ruth’s car (stolen from her ex-husband) and decides to pull it over because the left taillight is a little smaller than the right. Wiggum turns on his lights, Ruth speeds off, and Wiggum says, “Looks like we got an old-fashioned car chase!” Then he pops in a tape.
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