A Christmas Story

A snapshot of White, middle-class Midwestern families in the 1940s, without much other diversity. Ralphie fantasizes about shooting robbers -- two are Black -- and several Black children are in Ralphie's class, but they aren't part of the story. Ralphie's mother (who is never named) and teacher have important roles in Ralphie's life, but they're mainly caretaking and disciplinary ones. Racist statements about "children starving in China" and "bargaining as much as an Arab trader" and stereotyping of Asian people's English pronunciation and food preparation. Though Jewish people go to Chinese restaurants on Christmas, it's treated as a bizarre holiday ritual. Ralphie fantasizes about how sad his parents would be if he were blind.

Kids are bullied daily, mostly yelling and twisting arms behind backs, though Ralphie's friend does come to class with a black eye after one altercation. Ralphie punches a child who's bullying him until he gets a bloody nose. A dream sequence shows Ralphie with his prized BB gun shooting and killing four comical bandits. A kid touches an icy metal pole with his tongue on a dare, and it freezes to the pole. A dog's ear gets caught in a door, and Ralphie's dad jokes about shooting the dogs. Children are physically punished, and Randy believes their dad will kill Ralphie. After meeting an intimidating Santa and his elves, children are forced down a scary slide.

Ralphie's dad wins a lamp shaped like a woman's stockinged leg. Ralphie calls it the "soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window" and runs his hand up the leg when his mother's not watching. A bowling ball is dropped onto Ralphie's dad's lap, and he calls it a "blue ball."

Strong language, used by both adults and kids, includes "ass," "son of a bitch," "hell," "hot damn," and insults like "idiot," "dumb," etc. Lots of discussion about the use of profanity, both by Ralphie's father -- who constantly swears while fixing the heater -- and especially by Ralphie himself, when he lets the "F" word slip in front of his dad, which is heard by the audience as "fudge." He's punished with a mouthful of soap.

Ralphie's parents drink wine after opening presents and his dad offers him a sip -- Mom turns it down for him.