Sally Struthers: Gloria was the only character ”allowed to grow and change”
Meanwhile, at the actual heart of the show, there was a genuine character arc, one where a person evolved right in front of our eyes.
Gloria Stivic is the emotional center of All in the Family. It’s her soul that hangs in the balance, as Archie and Edith already know who they are. Will her values fall in line with those of her hippie husband, or will she revert to the conservative views she grew up with? Or, is she bound to be Edith?
In 1977, Sally Struthers, who played Gloria in both All in the Family and her spinoff, Gloria, reflected on the character’s shifting perspective. She spoke with The Toronto Star in-depth about her career and focused specifically on where Gloria started, and where she went.
“As Gloria, I’ve been the only one who has been allowed to grow and change. Gloria’s gone from a naive girl to a worldly woman. And the same thing has happened to me in real life.”
A pessimistic view of life would place humanity in line with Archie’s refusal to change. However, the truth is that people are capable of change.
The road toward a better future begins with believing that we’re all more like Gloria than we are like Archie. Change is scary, but so is a future where everyone is stuck in their ways.
