Category: Family Values

As Veterans Day approaches, my family and I are reminded of the profound significance this day holds for us. Beyond the parades and ceremonies, Veterans Day is a time for us to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served in the armed forces and to honor the legacy of valor that runs through our family’s history. This narrative essay explores what Veterans Day means to my family and me, delving into our personal connection to military service and the lessons we have learned from those who answered the call of duty.

Thesis Statement

For my family, Veterans Day is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices and selflessness displayed by our relatives who served in the military, as well as a chance to reflect on the lessons of courage, duty, and patriotism that have been passed down through the generations.

A Proud Legacy

Our family’s connection to the military is deeply rooted. My great-grandfather served during World War II, leaving behind a legacy of courage and dedication to country. Growing up, I heard stories of his service, tales of camaraderie, and the challenges he faced on the battlefield. These stories shaped my understanding of what it means to serve and instilled in me a sense of pride in our family’s military history.

Lessons in Sacrifice

Veterans Day holds a special place in our hearts because it reminds us of the sacrifices our relatives made for the greater good. Through their service, they demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting the values and freedoms that define our nation. Their sacrifices extend beyond their years of service, impacting their families, communities, and the generations that follow.

As a child, I remember listening intently to my grandfather’s stories about my great-grandfather’s experiences during the war. Those stories became more than anecdotes; they became lessons in sacrifice, resilience, and the profound impact of duty on an individual’s life.

Gratitude and Respect

For my family, Veterans Day is a time to express our gratitude and respect for those who have served. We visit local memorials, participate in commemorative events, and take moments of silence to honor the fallen. It is a day when our family comes together to remember the sacrifices made by our relatives and to honor the countless others who have defended our nation.

Through these traditions, we teach the younger members of our family the importance of gratitude and respect for veterans. We share stories of heroism and sacrifice, fostering a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by our military personnel and their families.

Honoring the Present

While reflecting on the past is a significant part of Veterans Day, we also take time to honor those who continue to serve today. We recognize that the commitment to duty is ongoing, and we express our appreciation to current service members who continue to protect our freedoms.

My family’s understanding of Veterans Day has evolved to encompass not only our family’s history but also our appreciation for the men and women who currently serve. We send care packages, write letters, and extend our gratitude to those stationed far from home, ensuring they know that their sacrifices are valued and appreciated.

Conclusion: A Legacy of Service and Gratitude

As Veterans Day approaches, my family and I reflect on the significance it holds for us. For us, it is a day of remembrance, gratitude, and respect—a day to honor the legacy of service that runs through our family’s history and to express our appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who have served.

Through our family’s stories, Veterans Day teaches us enduring lessons of sacrifice, duty, and courage. As we remember the past and honor the present, we are reminded of the power of selflessness, unity, and the deep bonds that tie our nation’s defenders together. As we pay tribute to our relatives and all veterans, we are humbled by their sacrifices and inspired to live up to the ideals they fought to protect.

I am privileged. Profoundly, unequivocally privileged because I was loved from the beginning. And not only loved but I was also supported.

Both of my parents were born in southern India in extremely conservative families. My grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, second cousins, and even the dog next door were all exceedingly religious, traditional, sexist, and absolutely cliche-ridden. Now, science may declare that parents pass down most of their traits to their children, but my parents are living proof that not all children inherit their parents’ traits. My parents are nothing like my grandparents. Being raised by modern parents who were open-minded and progressive truly shaped me into the independent individual I am today.

When our family moved from India to the United States, I had a hard time adjusting to the new environment. Even after I started school, I always felt like the odd one out which, after some time, began affecting my education. I started to hate learning and going to school. I let down my parents more times than I would like to admit when I was younger. Whether it was receiving grades that didn’t meet their expectations not working as hard as I should have or lying about working when I wasn’t, my parents still displayed unwavering confidence in me from childhood.

When we occasionally went to India to visit my cousins, I watched the verbal and physical abuse that their parents put them through just because they forgot to do a chore or weren’t the smartest kid in their class. I personally believe that my aunts’ and uncles’ style of parenting is a little harsh and quite archaic. After all, the most fundamental thing a parent can do is love, encourage, and support their kid to be the best that they can be. Unfortunately, that’s not a familiar concept in India.

I was baffled by the complete and utter difference between my family and my cousins’ families. My cousins’ parents were strict and impatient, while my parents were compassionate and understanding. And at that moment, I truly realized how privileged I was. Later that year, I pulled myself together and began working really hard at school. I would not only do the homework my teacher assigned, but I would also complete the extra credit problems and stay ahead of the class, which for a 5th grader was quite impressive. Before I knew it, I had regained my passion for learning. I came to school every day eager to learn and left every day yearning to learn more.

Throughout my life, I’ve learned to be happy and look at things positively because that’s how I was raised. I’m passionate, hardworking, ambitious and most of all, I have a great family. My family loves to have fun, make jokes, and live life to the absolute fullest. No matter what, my dad has a positive attitude and constantly wants to make others laugh. And my mom has given me valuable advice that I can apply to every aspect of my life. The values of dedication, hard work, gratitude, optimism, integrity, and respect my parents cultivated in me have helped me in multiple ways. I have embodied these values in all aspects of my life and they have enabled me to grow as an individual. My parents never restricted my aspirations but encouraged me to aim higher and attain the greatest achievements in my life. It was because of their support that my life’s philosophy has been anchored on hard work. And for that, I was, I am, and I always will be privileged.

“Only 46% of American kids now live in a “traditional family” – defined as a home with two married heterosexual parents in their first marriage. In 1973, 73% of U.S. children lived in such families.” stated in the book Rereading America Tenth Edition. It has been proven that no family is perfect, no matter what image they are portraying for their audience. Families in the early ages of time were considered perfect when they met the requirements of having a traditional family. There are various ingredients that construct families into being effective, resilient, and happy even if the family is a non-traditional family in society’s eyes. The following ingredients in a family are being able to communicate, love, and support one another. Important facts that can be retained of the two resources provided are that the first text wanted an unrealistic family in their home. The narrative did not comprehend all that were given to him. The second text explained a family discussing yet, then having a positive outlook, but later stating many more examples of families.

Gary Soto was a young Mexican American boy who wanted a perfect family. Knowing there is no perfect family out in the world the best way to define a family is not by categorizing those on how many are included, the amount of wealth they carry or who specifically is counted in the family itself. In Looking for Work, Gary Soto dreams to gain money in order to live like the family in Father Knows Best. Family is to be defined as a heartwarming group of people who care for each other.

The first key ingredient of having not necessarily a successful family, but one that is nurturing to the heart is communication. This element, people do not believe is essential until it destroys one’s family. Everyone in the household should communicate and verbally speak to each other about problems or even to chat for entertainment. In the article titled The Stories that Bind Us the reader is given a family at a dinner table. A turn around occurs when one family member commits an action that results in arguments across the room. Although it was an argument one family member saw this as them having a stronger bond. This family had their way of communicating with each other. Communication holds a family together by progressing the relationship further.

Another component that makes a family resilient and happy is providing love. Feeling, this ties a lot of emotion together between people. Love can provide kindness to the heart and improve the person’s personality as a human being. When one does not have a loving family one does not have the brightest intellectual mind when handling their own in the future. Family is a combination of hearts brought together even when there are difficulties being challenged. Love in families is divergently being shown every day. Examples would be doing chores without force of action or simply screaming, but only to prove one loves the person deeply.

Lastly in order to have an effective family, everyone needs to support the decisions being made for any relating humane scenario in life. When it comes to important decision making, the person goes straight to their family to ask for support and opinions. Having family support is like having an elderly man’s worn out back replaced for a stronger one. Supporting a family member brings a bit of pressure off them and they lose fear of becoming confident. When difficulties come face to face with the family, everyone should be able to assist and stick together until the best is to come. Overall within the two sources provided it can be declared that family is a unique bond that holds people together differently around the world. There are several factors that can be used to make a family effective, resilient, and happy. According to The Stories that Bind Us, “The ones who know a lot about their families tend to do better when they face challenges” this is where communication, love, and support takes hold in the family. Another key ingredient that should be additionally added is being able to tell the truth and know that families are not perfect but can be preserved for the better.

Family, ethnicity, personal interests and the environment you grow up in are all factors that contribute in shaping an individual’s identity. Several aspects may influence your identity more than others. These factors influence an individual’s ethics and morals, choice of music, and numerous other characteristics of life. The surrounding environment that an individual grows up in influences a person’s way of clothing, social activities and morals. Everyone is unique based on personal interest, which in my case was influenced by the environment I was raised in.

I am a black Muslim woman who is Senegambian (part Senegalese part Gambian) and American. My tribe contributes largely on my identity, because everything I stand by, eat, believe (apart from the fact that I am Muslim), my morals and personality is all largely based on my culture. Growing up in an Islamic, rich in culture country, and a very educative family also contributed to my identity as an independent, honest, and humble young lady. It also influenced my personal interests.

My personal interests include economics and film. Growing up in a household where both parents are economist and are always talking about work and seeing firsthand what they do influenced me to major in economics. I loved to see them do their job as it seemed interesting. Film is probably the opposite of economics but it’s a passion I have. Growing up in The Gambia I watched a lot of Senegalese series and films and it seemed so fun to do. This influenced me to the point where I know everything about the films, and the whole scenario before its even shown. It also influenced my choice of entertainment; I only watch Senegalese productions and would one day what to own or work part-time for one. My identity has an influence on all my decision making, including how I find information, how I define it and what I find relevant.

Information to me is the news, and anything related to my personal interest. Finding information is a very complicated process, because it is affected by some factors of my identity. I am on my phone or laptop if I am not sleeping, using social media plat forms such as Instagram, twitter, and snapchat. Most of the information I get is from twitter and Instagram, which is not always accurate. I use these platforms because just like the people in my generation, I rely on these platforms for information and everything I need to know is available. I share information by starting up a conversation on that topic with people I know are interested in the topic. By doing this, I share the information I have and receive information from them based on their opinions and what they have seen on the platforms that they get information from.

To conclude, identity is based on different factors such as the environment one grows up in, family, culture, age, and ethnicity. An individual’s personal interest is part of their identity which makes them unique. Personally, my identity has an influence in everything I do. This includes what I take as information, how I find, and share it.

The concept of family life-cycle is one that is receiving increasing attention in the psychological literature. Writers and researchers have emphasized that humans tend to grow and change throughout the life-cycle and are not doomed to live out the effects of early childhood experiences, as suggested by Freudian theory. Neugarten has emphasized that the various turning points in one’s life such as the completion of school, entry into the workforce, marriage, parenthood and so forth, are significant chapters along the life-cycle. Neugarten has noted that these turning points involve changes in the individual’s self-concept and sense of identity. They draw forth and result in new social and emotional roles and require new adaptations on the part of the person experiencing the event and those around him or her. This essay will showcase the essential life experiences that shaped the trajectory of my life, my beliefs about family, the influence of culture and how my understanding of family has evolved.

I am the eldest daughter amongst three siblings. I share a genuine and a close knit bond with my parents and siblings. We have shared joyous moments together. We are each other’s confidant and support. I was the first to marry in the family and I married at an early age. As I have shared a sound relationship with my parents so marrying early was a happy-sad event in my life. I became a mother at the age of 24. However, I filed for my separation a few years later and moved to my parents’ house along with my daughter. I count this as one of the key events in my life that made me restructure my understanding about family. My parents had to go through a cultural shift while accommodating my decision. They were astonished yet supportive through the entire process. Being a single parent who moved back to my parents’ house which is quite contradictory to our Indian culture, made me establish a bond with my daughter that encompassed a friendship with a deeper connect. Both my younger siblings had moved abroad by then and this further added to my bond with my daughter. We understand each other and are each other’s primary support. During that period, I started working as a school teacher and continued it for almost nine years. Meanwhile, I developed a will for growth and a drive to attain more knowledge in my educational sector. Therefore, I decided to apply for my higher education degree. My daughter is fifteen years old now and I have recently moved to New Zealand to pursue my higher education.

Family provides the primary resources for understanding what the world around us consists of. Most individuals form their initial relevant identities within some kind of family structure (Drewery & Claiborne 2012). When I was young my family comprised of my mother father and me. One day, my parents visited a doctor and when they returned they asked me to sit down with them as they wanted to discuss something important. I was clueless about what they wanted to talk about. During that conversation, they explained to me that a new family member was coming to join our family and would share our home with us. They patiently explained to me how a new baby was coming to life in my mother’s stomach. It was all vague and new to me but with each passing day my excitement multiplied. The idea that I was once in my mother’s stomach amused me. This new addition to our family helped me understand that my family is not only limited to my parents and me. I vividly recall this event from my childhood and I can call it as an integral chapter of my life. My younger brother’s birth expanded my understanding of family. A family structure is definite yet flexible.

Similarly, just as the individual is seen passing through various stages- infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, so the family may also be viewed as moving through predictable phases from its formation to its dissolution. A caveat here is that versions of the life-cycle that characterize the traditional nuclear family are not always applicable to alternative forms of families. Hill (1986) has noted that the life-cycle course of the single-parent family differs from the two-parent family, (Slee, 2002), not necessarily in terms of the stages that come across, but in the amount, timing and extent of the vital changes knowledgeable. I have raised my daughter without her father and this has been of ebb and flow. It restructures one’s dependency on each other and makes the parent and child independent in other ways.

Numerous schemes for identifying the nature of family cycles have been put forward. Most have been developed with the concept of the traditional nuclear family in mind. One way to understand how families grow and change is to appreciate that there are certain universals and rhythms to family life. At each stage, certain tasks present themselves and families and their energies and resources focused on these tasks (Slee, 2002). As the family develops and grows, certain milestones are passed such as the birth of the first child. To briefly elaborate, the family life-cycle has six stages. The first stage is courtship and marriage. In this stage there is an establishing of self-government from the parent at home and instigate and the rise of a main relationship. The second phase is pre-parenting, which is setting up a pair of character and getting ready for parenthood. The third phase is the birth of the first child, where we take on to fresh position to take in triadic relations. The fourth step is running the child’s entrance to institution and dealing with the means the exterior planet imposes on the family unit. The fifth phase is running the adolescent’s establishment of self (Slee, 2002). The last stage is the couple identity, when we deal with the empty nest. Evidently, my family development has been incoherent during various stages of my life and this has shaped my distinctive understanding of family. I had the support of my partner until the third stage of family life cycle. However, during the fourth stage of introducing my child to a learning institution has been an independent experience. This could have created a missing block in my daughters newly forming understanding of family. However, as my parents were always present during the six stages of my life cycle, they voluntarily lend a hand and provided incomparable support during my daughter’s early schooling years. They tutored her after school and provided all the nurturing support that a young child requires.

While the past customary thought of a family unit has been one that is typically contained a mother, father, and children, the present meaning of family has changed. In its most hearty structure, family is at least two individuals who see themselves as a family and who play out a portion of the capacities that families commonly perform (Robles and Beck, 2010). These individuals might possibly be connected by blood or marriage and could conceivably live respectively as de-facto partners. However, such families can be viewed as self-contained communities with their own rules, languages, rituals and worldviews. According to Seligman and Darling, a family is similar to a little society of its own, with each having its own culture, government, language, foreign policy and traditions. Families vary in membership and, although the membership can be relatively stable over a period of time, it also changes. Family membership can change by births, adoptions, foster children, divorces, children moving out of the home and then moving back home, changes in a parent moving to another country, remarriage, parents being in the military, a parent community a long distance for work, relatives or friends needing a place to live, and many other reasons (Robles & Beck, 2010). These changes in family membership alter such family patterns as communication relationships, and the general dynamics of the Unit. Therefore, today’s families are defined by membership at a particular time. This membership can be diverse and be impacted by multiple contributing factors such as grandparents who provide full-day care giving but reside elsewhere, parents living in different houses, (Robles & Beck, 2010), unemployed family members, or memories of a deceased family member that influence the family’s thinking and behavior.

My understanding of family has gone through a few changes during the course of my life. I believed that after my marriage my husband and child will be my primary family however, my parents’ acceptance of my decision of separation and accepting me back to their house has strengthened my bond with them. This molds my daughter’s understanding of family in the long run. I distinctly recall, one morning before I was dropping my daughter to school, she asked me with intriguing eyes, “Momma, will I never have Daddy pick me up from school like my friend’s dads?” This was sudden and ironically foreseeable by me. I thought and smiled answering her that if she wishes to see her father after school he can one day come to pick her up. She nodded and went on with her day at the school. A few days later I checked with her if she wishes to be picked up by her father, she said “No” (S. Talwar, personal communication, May 28, 2012). I inquired a bit but she was persistent that she would be happier to see me after school. She knows about her father and definitely has questions about his whereabouts however, she has this innate understanding about his non inclusivity in our family. I was brought up with siblings and a two parent family, the most common family structure in India. I felt inclusive and never questioned this basic, self-aligning concept of family.

Moreover, these changes that took place in our family, such as separation and relocation have had an impact on my family. To start with, my family has always believed in customs and rituals of our culture. They regard marriage with utmost sanctity and give it immense importance. According to the Indian culture, a woman is supposed to be married through a traditional wedding and the marriage is meant to start a family (Tiller, 2011). As a woman, you are supposed to live with the husband’s family and divorces are unlikely. On the contrary, people in the western world are more liberal. Divorce and remarriages are more acceptable in this part of the world and women are not bound to traditions. My parents took a while to accept my decision owing to how contradicting it was to their beliefs. Our culture boasts of everlasting marriages. Shifting back to my parents’ home along with my daughter seemed unacceptable in the Indian culture. However, globalization, relocation and interaction with people from different cultures and communities has changed our views and beliefs about various ways a nuclear family can be. Globalization, effect of western culture, modernization and independent right to make our own decisions has altered the way modern day relationships are managed. One afternoon during the weekend, I spent a casual day with my mother. We were discussing about how the world has progressed. She shared how my grandparents had an everlasting marriage till death do them apart. They were not the happiest couple however, their values and traditions kept them together their entire lives. Separation was considered a taboo in their culture. The society would outcast anybody who would annul their marriage in the 1800s and early 1900s. Further, she compared and analyzed how she had a sound marriage. My father developed a hearing problem early on in their married life. However, my mother supported him and financially kept the family intact. My father helped her with the household chores and financial advice despite his hearing incapability. They had their hardships but were respectful of each other (J. Talwar, personal communication, February 10, 2010). Culturally, we have advanced and this gave my parents the understanding and me the courage to file a divorce and raise my daughter as a single parent.

Family life passes through various social changes as the changes at a societal level have the capacity to unsettle and reshape patterns of intergenerational relationships. Social changes in the society have increased tremendously in the twentieth century. They have added multiple layers and complexity to a world that once seemed stable and balanced. This family structure has evolved during the past few decades due to the growing advancement in industrialization, work opportunities, lifestyle changes etc. (Drewery & Claiborne, 2012). Over the past few decades India has witnessed tremendous changes in laws, norms and attitudes towards females’ role and status in the society. This has let the Indian women venture out and participate in roles other than motherhood and a man’s wife (Dhawan, 2005). This growth and advancement has certainly happened through ideological changes that focus on the acceptance of gender and diversity. Currently, I am residing in an entire different continent to pursue my studies. This is a stark reflection of how society has developed and altered the basic functionality of my family unit. During early 1900s when my grandmother was a young lady, she was not given the right to gain basic education. Instead of education, learning household chores was her pivotal responsibility as a female is meant to take care of the family and the man of the house would be the breadwinner. However, with the new age advancement and openness to equality, I am able to make my own decisions such as pursuing a career of my choice and studying in New Zealand.

The New Zealand idea of social capital isolates family from network. Interestingly, the Maori idea of family moves flawlessly from the close family to the wide family system and clan, when the family turns into the network and the network is comprised of the more distant family. Participation in standard Maori affiliation depends on a trade of commitments and acknowledgment of the gathering. The idea of commitment driven participation incorporates commitments dependent on a typical heritage and the way of life measurement that obliges one to act in specific ways. This feeling of commitment supports a Maori idea of deliberate movement (Homan, 2000). Key ideas of Maori society that identify with social capital incorporate manaaki, which is a social commitment to greet and think about guests and hapai, the necessity to apply the idea of inspiring or improvement, and tantoko, offering help inside the network. Moving to this country and learning about the Maori culture has felt inviting as people are generous and kind to their guests. People here are caring and offer support to the outsiders. This culture has various similarities to the Indian culture that I belong where a large number of families are extended and guests are considered as God.

Family, we all have one whether we like it or not. Big, small two mums or one. Family comes in many shapes and sizes and not one is the same. Physically or emotionally every family is different. Relationships with sisters, brothers, mothers, and fathers, or the relationships that are lacking – all have a huge impact on us.

You may think that there is something like a perfect family right? The typical one mum one dad and children seems like a happy family. All the movies showing the “nuclear family” make us think that that’s the only family that’s acceptable to society, which is wrong. Think about your family and if they are different compared to the so-called “perfect family”. They could be different in many more ways than one.

Physically families have changed over time but emotionally they have changed as well. In different families, we see different structures. One mum two mums or no mums we all have that group of people we can always come back to and support.

In the 1960s there was such a thing as an ideal family but in the modern day, there are many more concepts of family. We see in Modern Family how there are different family structures but they all come together and are accepting of each other. There is a gay couple with an adopted daughter; an older man with a younger wife and a family of 5. At the start, not everyone liked the idea of a gay couple, especially Cam’s dad but eventually, he came around and told them if they are happy so it he. This shows the love and support of Michael as even though he didn’t approve of the relationship he came around when he saw how happy they were.

Most films have one mum, one dad, and children with such a happy family but in reality, that doesn’t happen anymore. Yes, there is the nuclear family but even when there is the so-called “normal family” I’m sure they have their differences too, they just may not be physical.

Black Balloon is the typical family but they have a child with autism called Charlie. Charlie has a loving brother Thomas and a loving mother and father. Thomas and Charlie got into a fight because of their differences but quickly after the fight Thomas and Charlie are both outside and they see each other through the car windows and have a sigh of relief. The next night Charlie has a performance for his class and Charlie gets into a fight with one of his classmates so he has to perform without being scared to do it alone. Thomas steps up and puts their differences beside him and does the performance with Charlie. This just shows they will love each other and support each other no matter what.

Family has a definition but does it fit all of us? No, it fits a small category. In reality, family is an ever-changing concept. Not one family is “normal” but that’s a good thing. No matter what the connection, physical, emotional, or blood is there are people you can be thankful for. Family can come in every shape and size but they are the same support system as your family and mine. There is such thing as a perfect family, it’s the family that has your back through thick and thin, it’s the family who makes you laugh when you don’t want to smile and it’s the family you go home to every night

This essay will analyze the role of the family in sociology. It will show the opinions of two approaches and analyze how they view the family Sociologically.

The Family has always been an important part of all societies and it has often been seen as the most basic unit of social organization. It carries out necessary functions for society, like educating and socializing children. Functionalists believe that a family is a positive unit, and it functions positively in society by helping to create harmony and order in society. However, Feminists would believe that the family encourages a patriarchal society.

Functionalists see the family as nuclear and are of the opinion that it is a positive structure. They assume that family members in the nuclear family are nurtured, cared for, and loved unconditionally. It is agreed by functionalists that individuals are socialized to reproduce the same norms and values by behaving similarly in a way that is agreed acceptable by all thus society is a consensus. Functionalists view society from a macro-sociological perspective. They think that all the parts that make up a society must have a function to maintain balance in society and keep it running smoothly. Functionalists believe that the nuclear family is universally the most positive type of family as it allows for the reproductive function of a family. Murdock (1949) studied 250 families. He determined that societies needed the nuclear family to ensure the continuation of society. New family members need to be socialized into economies and educated about society’s culture. Without culture, Murdock believes human society would not function. He has been criticized as he doesn’t consider that functions that the family has could be enacted by another social institution for example education and he does not investigate anything other than the family or offer any alternatives.

T Parsons (1955) believes that the family has two functions that are most important. The socialization of children during primary socialization, where social norms and values are learned. And supporting an adult to cope with stresses in life by giving emotional support with stabilization of adult families. This emotional support prevents stresses from being overwhelming to the adult and thus prevents fissures in the stability of society. Parsons states that roles in the family are separated according to functionalists. Each member has a complementary role that they carry out that is different from each other. For example; the man goes out to work to bring money or food home and the woman cares for the man and children, providing support and care possibly staying at home. Biologically, the woman bears the child and thus should look after it and the man should provide for the woman and child. The roles stated, provide structure and stability to society. All the norms and values benefit the society according to functionalism for instance, basic respect maintains peace and stability preventing conflict in society. Functionalists also believe that the family equally benefits all members. They also believe that the nuclear family alone is directly responsible for socialization. They ignore all the other types of families and argue that divorce rates increasing is increasing the number of reconstituted families or families with single parents and divorces are easier to achieve in the Western world due to a relaxation in the laws.

Functionalists believe that society has a consensus as to the family organization. Contrary to this, the conflict theory of Radical Feminism believes that the family is a patriarchal model where the men benefit from the structure of the family. They further believe that domestic violence from men oppresses women. They stated that domestic chores expected of women further oppress them with gender distinctions such as the woman cooking and cleaning in the family ( triple shift theory). This theory has forced sociologists to see the family as a power relationship rather than as a model of stability. Liberal feminists wanted to achieve equality between women and men both socially and

politically, such as Wollstonecraft (1792), with legal reforms and changes to legislation. Radical feminists believe women’s oppression is beneficial to all men and not just patriarchal men or men in power. They believe that segregation between the genders is constructed socially and politically and is not a given. Kate Millet stated that ‘the personal is political’ which means that personal family life, our choices, and decisions do not belong to us, but are political.

Marxist Feminists believe that contrary to Functionalists and Radical Feminists that the exploitation of women within the family contributes to capitalism. Bentson states ”The political economy of women’s liberation’ emphasizes the value of the unpaid labor women perform within the family. This labor, which sustains the current labor force and nurtures the next generation, comes at no cost to the owners of the means of production. Additionally, the responsibility of the male breadwinner to support his wife and children fetters his ability to withdraw his labor power in defense of his class interests. In so doing it helps reinforce the inequitable capitalist economic system.’ (Benston 1972) (Thomson, 2013). Ansley (1972) says that emotional support in the family provides stability to male workers reducing the likelihood that they will lash out at the system or at societal norms and values. Feely (1972) believes that by teaching children to accept social norms and values, they are taught to be obedient thus accepting their position in the hierarchy of powers. Greer (1972) believes that families are not as stable anymore as divorce rates are increasing as women are no longer happy to serve as wives or to be oppressed by husbands.

Both Marxist Feminists and Functionalists neglect to consider the diversity of families in the modern day. They both assume that all families are predominantly nuclear and heterosexual. It is post-modernists who criticize this point and highlight single families or LGBT families. Both theories also show a negative and exaggerated opinion of families and don’t look into the influences that racism may have on families. Both show women exploited by the patriarchy and capitalism as passive victims who don’t fight back or challenge views. The possibility of women fighting back is ignored. There is no accountability for women who abuse men or oppress men in relationships. Functionalists believe that everyone in the family benefits from the family structure as it keeps peace and stability in society. However, feminists argue that men are the only beneficiaries of family and women are taught to have respect for men without themselves benefitting. Functionalists believe that everyone in the family has a particular role. Whereas Feminists believe that there isn’t an equal division of duties and that women are captive as free labor and have more roles in the family than other members do.

To conclude Functionalists, have an idealized, rose-colored glasses, view of the family. On the other hand, feminism has questioned if the family is functional for all individuals in society or just men. Functionalism and feminism give an insight into how the opinion of the family has evolved from a traditional model to the modern family in sociology. All of society Is constantly changing and evolving so more opinions will always be developed and the approaches and opinions will be developed over time to match the evolution of families within society.

References:

1. Thomson, C.H. (2013). Some key studies on the family – family perspectives. [online] sociologytwynham.com. Available at: https:sociologytwynham.com20130702some-key-studies-on-the-family-family-perspectives [Accessed 16 Mar. 2022].

Escape From Aleppo is told through the eyes of a 14-year-old girl named Nadia who is trying to find her way to her family through the war-torn streets of Aleppo, Syria. Nadia was living with her mother, brothers, and aunts when their house was hit by a shrapnel bomb called a “Carmella.” Everyone except Nadia made it out of the ruined house safe before the bomb hit, and Nadia had hidden under a car to escape the explosion. She was knocked unconscious, and her family could not find her. Most of her family believed had died in the rubble, but one aunt was still hopeful that she survived. Her family left to go to the dental clinic where they met up with their uncles, while Nadia was unknowingly left behind.

After waking up, Nadia attempted to retrace her family’s steps to head to the dental clinic but instead got lost. Soon enough a rainstorm hit, and Nadia was forced to hide in a nearby shop, where she fell asleep under a table from exhaustion. The next morning, an old man named Ammo Mazen and his donkey Jamila found her. The old man agreed to take her to the clinic, as he was running an errand in the area and could pass by it. However, when they got there, they discovered a note left behind by Nadia’s family indicating that they had crossed the border to Turkey, and her father was waiting for her there. She could not make the trip alone, so she decided to trust and rely on the strange old man until she could see her family again, even if it made her uneasy.

During their trip, they met a little boy named Basel who joined them. However, a little further in their journey, Ammo’s cart and his donkey Jamila were confiscated by a group of Syrian army members, and they had no means of transportation to the border. Nadia realized that she should be trying to help Ammo instead of worrying if he would kill her and Basel, so she did, and together they came up with a plan to rescue the donkey Jamila and also retrieve Ammo’s cart. They eventually reached the border, and Nadia was reunited with her parents. Ammo agreed to stay with an elderly woman who would take care of him, and Basel met up with his grandfather at a rebel camp.

Overall, I think Escape from Aleppo is both an interesting and eye-opening book that will allow readers to understand what is happening in Syria. The author created strong characters and successfully intertwined their stories together to deliver a suspense-filled story that teaches about determination and love for family. Nadia’s occasional flashbacks give insight into what her life was like before the war and allow the reader to see the effects the war has had on her life now. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read realistic fiction.

Introduction

How the world would have been without satire? A world where everyone should be serious and without having a little bit of irony in what they are saying? Believe me or not, no one would like to live in a world like that because even though satire appears in different types and tries to show something, for example bringing serious issue to people’s faces but in such a way that it does not bother anyone. However, satire brings happiness in our lives even if it is used in serious situations, this can always make people smile.

Satire was made popular starting in 1989 alongside with The Simpsons. “The Simpsons offered a critical view of mainstream social and cultural norms” (Todd 63). The Simpsons got to be the most popular cartoon in America, but not everyone was agreeing to its reputation. Some people started criticizing different characters such as Apu because they thought it rose satire in racial context and felt like the producer made fun of those that were Indian. This cartoon used characters in a satirical way, developing them in such a funny manner, therefore, to present serious political issues about America, and also representing how people get along and how families behave. Despite of this, few people have that kind of opinion about The Simpsons while others are having it as their favorite cartoon because it takes real situations and turn them into funny scenarios. These scenarios are a positive element in The Simpsons series because they are used in a humorous way so it could raise important family issues, it’s presence does not affect people in a bad way because the truth is not stated in their faces but rather ironized and people have a good laugh about it and in the end they could understand the message that the series is trying to transmit to the viewers. Together with this “The abundance of episodic material, teeming with rich dialogue and resplendent visuals…” (Todd 64) causes people to be interested in their series and wanting to analyze the meaning of their episodes.

Humor can raise important family issues (sursele from Bryant)

Before getting in depth and analyzing some important scenes where humor is raising important family issues, it is appealing to look at the meaning of television and what effect it has on its audience. What is shown on television is most of the time shaping people’s conceptions and making them believe in something or at least have an opinion about the subject. “The meaning of television content is located in a complex process of interaction between text and reader, but the larger meaning of television is located in the production of popular culture and perpetuation of dominant social forces”. (Alexander 273) Therefore, television is one of many sources of people from where they could gather information, but everyone understands it in their own way. “Television is one of the major players in the socialization process” (Nancy and Michael 333)

Usually people avoid situations where they need to deal with important social issues. In other words, with the help of cartoons like The Simpsons that appear on the television humor comes around the corner and bring this kind of people closer to the truth by stating in a funny manner what they have been avoiding. If it gets people to laugh that does not mean the subject it’s not serious, thus “television contributes to people’s conceptions about families and family life, through the theoretical perspective of cultivation analysis” (Nancy and Michael 333)

Hence, comedy has a role and that is to make the world better because it invites more analytical thought and action from all people. The Simpsons “is a show that does in fact give hope and joy and, yes, inspiration to millions. But mostly, as my wife reminds me, it’s funny” states David Feltmate in his article. (223-224) This cartoon is funny because it mainly states true facts and then people can very easily relate to it. Therefore, satire “is a powerful, if understudied, tool for communicating ideas about religious rights and roles in society”. (Feltmate 240)

Much more, Feltmate states in his article “simple jokes are composed from complex stocks of knowledge” (227), so with the familiarity that the producers of the cartoon had, they formed many scenes with complex meanings. The episode “There’s something about marrying” has numerous scenes that can have deeper meaning then what is shown on the television. The first scene that revolves around familial issues is the part when Homer is choking his son because he told him “Dad you should go on a diet”. The doorbell rings, and then Homer tells his daughter to take his place. After Homer left, Lisa starts choking Bart instead of him. This is funny at the first sight, but after thinking about it for a while, is it suitable? “An element of surprise often lies behind the laugh of incongruity” (Fink 47) Affirming this, that element of surprise in this scene is that of not being normal. Who would choke their child and after putting their daughter to continue what he was doing? Exactly. No one besides those that are abusive towards their child.

There are other scenes where family members are being mean to each other. People have this portrait of the perfect family where the members should unconditionally love each other. And then there is Patty saying that If Marge does not show up at the ceremony, she does not have a non-identical sister anymore and then Marge is amused when she finds out that her sister’s fiancé is a man instead of a woman saying, “Patty is getting something she didn’t register for”. However, this is happening because Marge cannot get over the fact that her sister is lesbian. “But in comedy, any harm done to a principal character- someone we get to know well enough to be emotionally invested in him or her- can be only temporary and nonfatal”. (Fink 50) People laugh about all these issues because in the end everything is going to be fine, but they should also learn the broader meaning of the scene’s message. To summarize, from these funny episodes that The Simpsons are presenting, the society has the role to see what the moral point is that they are trying to show and what is this significance symbolizing for them.

Truth is not stated in their faces but rather ironized, therefore it does not bother anyone

This is the section where it is all about people that are easily getting irritated when something that is true is stated in their faces, but when the truth it’s ironized, nothing bothers them anymore. The satirical cartoon based on a complex family with different personalities is sharing their experience to their American audience and make it feel relatable. “The show increases public awareness of environmental issues and serves to educate the television audience while at the same time entertaining them.” (Todd 29) Because of the cartoon’s context of representing mostly familial and political problems in a funny way, they keep engaging and having a connection with their audience showing them how they truly are as a society. “By pointing out the humorous fallacies in human action, the series offers a significant look at the life of the typical American family, and in this way has a profound impact on the attitudes and beliefs of the television audience. “(Todd 29)

Therefore, with much more concrete evidence and wanting to demonstrate that The Simpsons raise important family problems and are making people feel related to what is happening in the series that leads people to listening to true facts and not having a bad impact on them, all of this in one episode called “There’s something about marrying”. This episode tackles many issues all at once but only few are essential.

Starting with Springfield losing tourists, the mayor wanted to listen to “crazy ideas” to bring them back.” Different voices in the crowd respond with “stronger beer,” “gladiator fights,” “poetry slam,” and “giant rats.” It is a theater of the absurd in an animated sitcom.” (Fink 47) Lisa, having the best idea of them all, proposed legalizing same-sex marriage. It is impressive to see that a kid is much more open minded than the older generations. “In fact, nearly every character in town, with a few exceptions such as Lisa, is a fool.” (Fink 48)

The mayor accepted it because he thought that this idea would bring a lot of money. Homer was not very fond of this idea, but it is ironic how he was staring at himself in the mirror thinking about how his babies looked if he married himself. In the episode, he heard that he could earn 200 bucks by marrying one couple and the outcome of this was he turning into a clergy person, doing the opposite of his way of thinking but in the promoting love and family as important pieces in life.

This main issue revolves around Marge’s sister that has found a fiancé who is a woman. Marge keeps joking about it, but it seems like she does not approve her sister’s decision. Even when Marge tells her children about her sister’s fiancé, Lisa raises an important statement and that was “I thought you said aunt Patty was waiting for the right man”. “Right man” are harsh words used to show that the encountering of a familial issue where a family is formed only by a woman and a man. Jumping right to the scene where Patty and her fiancé are getting married, after finding out that Veronica, her fiancé, is a man, she is not planning on marrying him anymore because she states “Hell no! I like girls!”. The important point that is presented on this particular scene is the audience at the ceremony that starts clapping after what Patty shouted and how Marge and the rest accepted how Patty truly feels. “This is somewhat representative in upholding the tradition of satirizing contemporary culture”. (Fink 44) Even if it is a contemporary culture issue or an issue from some years ago, it is hard for people to understand some of them. In this way that The Simpsons presents the problems to their audience it is outstanding because the truth is ironized, thus people enjoy listening and seeing what is going to happen without being bothered by the issue presented. “Comedy provides a catharsis, or relief, from their stress. The writers of The Simpsons provide ample situations that allow viewers to laugh through their discomfort.” (Fink 51)

This way of ironizing can bring people closer to the truth

This imagery that The Simpsons created opened a door to social arguments and because of this their visuals became essential to people interested in their theories. “Contemporary analysis of the social and cultural context of human communication must account for the increased mediation of rhetorical messages” (Todd 67) And because of this analysis, people are encountering many symbols and it is very helpful to have them nowadays. “Visual media are capable of symbolic expression because they are rooted in a particularly rich context of social, cultural and political influences.” (Todd 68). What people are seeing is enforced in their minds without even realizing. “Visual images persuade because they give meaning to personal experience by connecting thematic elements of shared social experience to individual perception.” (Todd 68)

Generally, people are denying the truth, not wanting to know about it or not caring about the subject, but with this humorous way that The Simpsons approached people, they can be brought closer to the truth that they are trying to avoid without even realizing. “Thus, The Simpsons uses satire not only to undermine the pretensions to cultural significance of various texts from both “high” and “low” culture, it includes itself as part of that mockery, potentially undercutting the cultural critique in which the program seems to be engaged” (Alberti 20)

In one episode called “Make Room for Lisa”, the audience saw a scene where Lisa yelled at her dad saying, “If you think something it’s true that doesn’t mean it is for everyone”. This statement is the representation of how people work. Everyone draws their own conclusion and can have their own opinion about a subject. For example, Pelling in his article is saying that “I could have replied that it’s satire as good as The Simpsons that provides my greatest comfort when humanity appears to have lost the plot”. (2)

Another example of being different is shown in the Simpsons family. Each one of the members is different in their own way but in the end, they love and support each other. “This cartoon features a family more genuine in its loves, hates and imperfections than most sitcom broods”. (Keveney 2)

Many of the differences in their family were in the episode “Lisa’s Birthday” because Lisa herself states them by saying” we love each other but we’re different people”. “A clueless adult who eats too much and doesn’t work enough “while “other characters are wonderfully developed”. (Keveney 3) Homer, in this episode seems like he does not know anything about his daughter but at the same time he is desperate to do anything, so Lisa will not be mad at him and wants to be seen by his children as a good father. This sounds like too much for Homer, right? It is known that usually Marge and Lisa “are morally and intellectually superior to the men in the Simpson family” (Keveney 3) However, having these difference does not stop them from being a family and that is what people appreciate about The Simpsons. “Despite these condemnations about the Simpson family’s imperfections and dysfunctional nature, their shortcomings and general realism are what actually make this family so reflective of the American family and actually radical in the wake of television families of the past.” (Van Allen)

To sum up what it has been said in this section, ironizing can really bring people a little bit closer to the truth. In this case, the truth about being a family even though the members are completely different and not getting along in the first place. “When studied as a family unit, the Simpsons pull the traits of each character into a coherent whole that families across the country can appreciate and believe in.” (Van Allen)

Conclusion

The Simpsons uses satire in a way that benefits everyone in many forms if they are watching the cartoon. It represents important values like familial ones, in such a humorous way that its presence does not disturb anyone because the truth it’s ironized. While everyone laughs about what is happening in the series, subconsciously people earn a point of view about the subject they are dealing with, but everyone has their own right to comprehend it in their own style.

People get closer to the truth, because the cartoon invites people to think about it when they are watching. Thus, the satire that they are using is a powerful tool in communicating ideas and finding the true meaning of their symbols. Moreover, because of satire, people are not irritated about the subject they are presenting on the television since it feels relatable. While many would think that satire is not useful, this irony can be used as an influential weapon to create connections with people and always be thoughtful about an idea.

Works cited

1. Alberti, John. Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture. Vancouver, B.C.: Langara College, 2008. Print.
2. Alexander,Alison. The Meaning of Television in the American Family. Television and The American Family: New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2001.
3. Feltmate, D. ‘It’s Funny Because It’s True? The Simpsons, Satire, and the Significance of Religious Humor in Popular Culture.’ Journal of the American Academy of Religion 1 (2013). Print.
4. Fink, Edward J. “Writing the Simpsons: A Case Study of Comic Theory.” Journal of Film and Video, vol. 65, no. 1-2, 2013, pp. 43–55. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jfilmvideo.65.1-2.0043.
5. Keveney, Bill. “Cartoon champs ‘The Simpsons”. Las Vegas Review- Journal. ProQuest. 14 Jan. 2000. Web. 03 Jan. 2019.
6. Pelling, Rowan. ‘Great Satire Lifts the Spirits When Humanity Loses the Plot. That’s Why I for One Welcome Our New Insect Overlords….’ The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. ProQuest .12 Nov. 2016. Web. 03 Jan. 2019.
7. Signorielli, Nancy. Morgan, Michael.Television and the Family: The Cultivation Perspective. Television and The American Family: New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2001.
8. Todd, Anne Marie. Prime-Time Subversion: The Environmental Rhetoric of The Simpsons. Studies in Environmental Rhetoric and Popular Culture: Praeger Publishers, 2002.
9. Van Allen, Eliezer. The Simpsons Archive: Awards & Honours. Web. 03 Jan. 2019

Samuel Peploe

Samuel Peploe was a Scottish impressionist artist born in Edinburgh in the 1800s. He was noted for his still life work and for being a part of a group of four painters called the Scottish colorists.

Influences

From 1893 to 1894, Samuel peploe studied at the Scottish academy schools. Studying here influenced his work greatly and began his passion for landscapes and still life, which could be seen throughout his work for his whole artistic career. These motives are still highly influential from the college in the 21st century as many artists leave with the same passions as peploe. For example, this can be seen in….

After 1901 peploe travelled to France. While on his travels he was influenced by bright sunlight, he also experimented with with bold use of colour and was further influenced by rustic realism of french artists. These influences can all be seen in peploe’s “street scene” of a street in France which there is clear use of sunlight and bold use of colour throughout.

Peploe based his artwork on landscapes and still life. From 1914 onwards peploe used much paler colours such as greys and pink. For example, this can be seen in ‘street scene’ as there is pale pink and grey highlights throughout he whole painting especially in the ground.

In 1910, peploe and his wife moved to France which inspired him and he was determined, creating a lot of art after his move. His still-life works show the influence of Manet, with combinations of fluid brushwork, thick impasto and dark backgrounds with strong lighting. This can be seen in the painting ‘a street in Paris’ where there is clear thick impasto brushwork throughout, and strong contrasting tones.

Another influence for peploe was the surrounding artists around him while living in France. He was inspired by the work of the french fauve artists, especially Henri Matisse. He was inspired by his use of colour, which became brighter and more vivid, peploe also began to use similar shapes and bold outlines. For example brighter colours can be seen in ‘street scene’ which overall is a bright, light painting.

Peploe began to take trips to the Scottish Hebrides. He spent a lot of time in Iona, here with fellow Scottish colourists. This influenced his work as he began to work on landscapes that consisted of more beaches and his work also seen much more blue muted tones throughout. For example…….

Peploe was inspired and influenced by french painting, although his work never became overly abstract there were still glimpses shown throughout. It was notable for his strong colour, tight composition and meticulous execution. It was said he was influenced by artists such as de Segonzac, Cézanne, Matisse and Van Gogh. A clear point of comparison between peploe and Van Gogh is through Van Goth’s painting ‘the starry night’ as there are clear thick impasto brush marks in his work with some parts of the canvas coming through, and peploe ‘a street in Paris’ as there has been clear inspiration a king from Van Gogh’s work.

Samuel peploe died in 1935, in Edinburgh. However after his death his son Denis peploe, followed his fathers footsteps in becoming an artist. Throughout Denis’s work there is clearly inspired by his fathers work especially his Iona landscapes he done in the 1920’s. This can see seen through the such similar compositions and colour palettes. There is similar brush work within the two paintings, as there is a clear trace of brushwork and texture within both

Analysis

The texture of the painting is very rough and is visible to the viewer, peploe has used impasto techniques in the trees as the paint looks very thick on the canvas and looks as if it would be rough to touch. This gives the painting a much more abstract look as although the trees look like they have texture you can still tell it is paint on a canvas which makes the painting much more expressive.

Peploe has used impasto techniques within the trees as there is visible thick paint on the canvas which would have been achieved with a thick brush or palette knife and thick paints to allow the trees to have such a impasto effect. This glimpse of impasto effect is a clear influence from other artists such as Manet and Van Gogh. The impasto creates texture within the painting and is also eye catching within only the trees being painted in this way, it makes them stand out amongst the rest.

Brush work can be seen through the whole painting as peploe has not been discreet about it, especially on the street which helps with the dimension within the painting allowing the viewer to detect the difference from the road to the pavement. The brushwork gives the painting a more expressive look as the process of the painting is clear on the canvas.

The colours throughout the painting are lighter pastel colours opposed to bright in your face colours. Peploe has used baby pinks and blues as highlights in the street and trees which adds dimension to the painting and gives i more form.

Overall the paintings objects do not have much form and look quite flat. The lack of detail and realism makes the painting flat as the sky does not look like it is behind the buildings. Again the buildings look quite flat and lifeless as they do have much dimension lacking the highlights and shadows. This makes the painting look very expressive and unrealistic.

The mood and atmosphere of the painting is very calm, relaxed and soothing. This is from the pastel colours which are contacted with spring, summer and peacefulness which this painting definitely gives off. The mood of the painting is very happy, from things like the flowers at the top, the European look of the actual place which may remind people of Holliday, which generally are connected to happy thoughts.

The system of the painting is expressive. This is by the clear trace of brush marks throughout leaving a really unrealistic look the painting. This is also caused by impasto brush marks and lack of form throughout the painting.