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Ashleigh Lockard

Dr. Larkin and Dr. Malone

Wes 100

10 December 2020

Chicago Fire

The bells go off, the horn blows and the lights flash as they drive down the street. “The

fires out they shout.” Organized chaos, just like each of our lives. We all need to be rescued from

the fires in our lives. In our culture, who and what we turn to are our firefighters. By looking at

Chicago Fire we can see cultural influences, which most viewers do not see. This is important

because the shows we watch influences our cultural experiences.

When I was in highschool I took an Emergency Medical Technician Class (EMT). This

class was like family, giving me many opportunities and views of what is like being a first

responder. Your normal workday is someone else’s worst day ever. The feeling you get when the

bells go off is like no other. Your heart starts to race, and emotions are high. You feel like you

are on cloud nine as you load into the truck. This is what I want to do, and this is the culture I

shape for myself.

While watching Chicago Fire, I am brought back to the feeling I got when I hear the bells

go off. I felt the connection and high I felt the first time I heard those bells. In our culture, we

stick to our familiarities and we turn to what makes us happy such as, shows, books, food,

people. These things are our comfort items and help shape our culture. Hearing the bells gives

me a sense of familiarity. I turn to the show to give me comfort when I am upset, it makes me

happy knowing that this will be me one day.

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According to the ChronicleLive, TWFRS Chief Fire Officer Chris Lowther, states “I am

proud to be a firefighter – not a fireman. We’ve used this term for over 30 years, and I wouldn’t

want any girl or young woman to be discouraged from joining the fire service because they

believe it is just a job for men.” In the fire department, the first responders are no longer called

fireman anymore. They are called firefighters as men and women both work in the department.

Sexism is not a thing when you walk into a burning fire. A woman must be able to do any task

that is asked of them just like a man would do. Chicago Fire characters are played by both men

and women of different ages. There is also a diverse cast, much like you would see if you walk

into a fire house. The people you choose to associate and surround yourself with impacts your

cultural experience, good and bad.

What I have learn watching 7 seasons of Chicago Fire, is that when you are in a fire

house you are family. Each member of the house has each other’s back; if one suffers, the entire

house suffers. On the other hand when good news arrives the whole house celebrates. The bond

and connection these men and women formed with each other over the 7 seasons is unbreakable.

Much like my family, culture, and the friends I surround myself with. People come and go but

those who stick by you no matter what, they are your family. In the show each person would risk

their life for someone else. In my family and friends, I know each one will have my back and

they would die for me too.

Seeing how these men and women work together influences my culture. They show me

the meaning of a family bond. They influence my culture experiences as I am open up to a new

understanding of family. Family does not mean you have the same blood; it means you would

run into a burning building for that person.

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Why does culture matter? Why does the culture of Chicago Fire matter? Culture matters

because it shapes who we become. According to HuffPost, Merlin Donald in his book he writes,

“Culture effectively wires up functional subsystems in the brain that would not otherwise exist.”

Without cultural experiences, we would not be the same person. Culture influences what we do,

listen to, watch, wear, and eat. Our lives are based on our culture. Culture matters as it is how

people view us.

Culture conveys meaning as it gives us a sense of Identity. It is the choices we make, who

we surround yourself with, and how we see the world. Our culture defines who we are. We might

be raised in a specific culture, but as we grow and mature, we can decide if that is what we

genuinely believe in. This is extremely evident in the American society today. What we watch,

read, the music we listen to all plays a role in your identity and our culture. Our beliefs and what

matters to us are shown by our actions and choices we make. These impact our culture as our

culture makes us, us. Chicago Fire, coveys meaning as it demonstrates what it means to be a

family, being diversity and working together. It gives the characters a purpose. They build their

own culture around the show. The meaning of the Chicago Fire is to inspire others and help

those in need. We should all stride to the same with our culture. Our actions shape your culture

and defines who you are.

From society we can learn that culture is constantly changing much like fires. The wind

direction changes the pattern of a fire causing it to burn faster and spread farther. Our culture is

changing everyday by what we do, what we see, and what we experience. From Chicago Fire we

learn that there is never a dull moment in life. Just as quickly the fire came, it was out. Like
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society and culture, just as fast as a trend or hashtag challenge came it left. Our culture is

developing more and more each day.

Whether you watch Tv, listen to music, or read books, your culture is being influenced.

You learn lessons from the things you do. These impacts your life and your culture. From putting

out fires to getting up in the morning, no two days are the same as your culture experiences are

constantly changing and shaping the culture around you.

Work Cited

Cashmore, Amanda. “Firefighting Sexism: What It's like for Women in the Fire Brigade.”
ChronicleLive, 22 Oct. 2017, www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/firefighting-
sexism-what-its-like-13796057.

Chicago Fire. Amazon Prime Videos, IMBd tv, 2013-

Donald, Merlin. A Mind so Rare: the Evolution of Human Consciousness. W.W. Norton &
Company, 2015.

Vognar, David. “How Important Is Culture in Shaping Our Behavior?” HuffPost, HuffPost, 1
Oct. 2012, www.huffpost.com/entry/culture-influence-politics-life-_b_1724750.