The Ideal American Family Analysis

The Ideal American Family Analysis
As stated in an article by Kimi Kennedy entitled "Television: The Ideal American Family," most American families portrayed on television in the late
'40s and early '50s consisted of "a husband, wife and 2.5 kids" (Kennedy). In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, the Loman family seems to
perfectly fit the mold of a family living the American dream; however, the actions of the family show that everything is not what it seems. Although the
Lomans appear to be the ideal family of the time, the way in which the family treats each other directly contrast with other fictional families of the time.
The family's treatment of Happy exemplifies the lack of attention given to some children within American families. Throughout the play, Happy often
takes a back seat to Biff when it comes to getting his parents' attention. In Act I on pages 1851–1853 Happy says multiple times, "I'm...show more
content...
Willy is conflicted about his feelings toward Biff. On page 1844, while talking to Linda, Willy goes from saying, "The trouble is he's lazy..." to saying
"That's one thing about Biff– he's not lazy" in a matter of seconds (Miller). Biff also feels conflicted about his father. Biff cannot seem to decide if he
really loves his father or not. On page 1864, Biff is confident in his love toward his mother yet, the love he feels for his father seems to be an
afterthought (Miller).
The Loman family seems like the ideal American family based on television in the 1940s and '50s. Willy, Linda, Biff, and Happy, however, do not
get along very well and most they all have secrets that they keep from each other. The Lomans first appear to be a typical fictional family of the time
consisting of a mother, father, and two children, but soon show their flaws. Arthur Miller breaks the mold for the fictional families of the time in his
play Death of a Salesman by highlighting the flaws and downfalls of each member of the
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The Perfect Family : What Is A Perfect Life
What is a perfect family? What is a perfect relationship? What is a perfect life? My life was perfect before I grew up to an age where I understood
everything, where I heard everything and where I was aware of everything.
For a long time, I was not comfortable in my own home because of a relationship my mother was in. She was in a relationship with a manipulative,
aggressive, alcoholic, and abusive man for about 15 years. That relationship was always on and off and I never understood it until I was about 12
years old. I noticed the depression in my mother's face. I could tell if she was crying the night before, and I noticed when she disconnected herself
with others. She was never in a good place. It made me believe there was something really going on.
Although, I am always alert. I always felt the need to help her in some way. I enjoyed helping others as much as I can in any situation, but this is
my mother I am talking about. It is important to me, to know that everything is okay. I learned, if the boss isn't happy, then nobody's happy. I have a
whole contact list of people to call in case of emergencies, so as there was fighting, and arguing going on I would be aware. I heard everything, I knew
everything, and I was prepared for anything.
One morning after a long night, my mom and I were lying comfortably on the couch watching movies, as usual, then my mom gave me permission to
hang out with my friends for the day. It was very strange, but I was fine with it, I

Essay on Katherine Mansfield The Ideal Family
Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923)
The Ideal Family: Interpretation
The story under study was written by Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923), a British novelist and short–story writer, closely associated with D.H.
Lawrence and something of a rival of Virginia Woolf. Mansfield's creative years were burdened with loneliness, illness, jealousy, alienation– all this
reflected in her work with the bitter depiction of marital and family relationships of her middle–class characters, as well as subtle changes in human
behavior. Our task is now to see whether or not this story, "The Ideal Family," is an exception.
To begin with, I'd like to attract your attention to the title. At first sight, it's quite clear in meaning, as the story itself is indeed...show more content...
The episode describing the way the family treated the hero when he returned home from walk can be referred to suspence, and climax takes place
when Mr. Neave is left alone in the music room. Finally, the gentleman has to break his reflection and come to dinner– that's the denouement of the
story.
This text mostly consists of narration, but there're large pieces of description here as well, introduced to display the hero's thoughts and emotions
together with the setting of the story. Besides, there's also a dialogue between the main characters, which helps us better understand what kind of
people the members of this family are. As for the narration, it's carried from the 3rd person, or from the so–called "God's view," usually used to create
the sense of impartiality; but here so much reported inner speech (Well, well! H'm, h'm! Strange! Enjoying himself! My treasure! Perhaps so..."), so
many parentheses ("No business – not even asuccessful, established, big paying concern.., "whatever she said – even if it was only "Jam, please,
father"..., "their hydrangeas–famous in the town") and rhetorical questions ("Where had he been?", "Who was he?", "But if that were true, why didn't
Charlotte or the girls stop him? Why was he all alone, climbing up and down? Where was Harold?"), that we are presented the whole situation from Mr.

Reflection on Family
Family Reflection
"No one is ever born into Life alone. Everyone has shared the bond of family, at least at birth, and for many people it is a bond that will follow them
throughout life. For many people it is the most important bond of all."
Family means many things to different people, yet the word itself can bring about a host of emotions from anyone who hears the word uttered. As a
child growing up in the 60s and 70s the family dynamic was defined by the people we grew up with were related to by blood, and extended to the many
family members of the different generations that made up the family unit.
I have fond memories of growing up with love and compassion, by the people who I was surrounded with. The feeling of...show more content...
The people may be different, but, the bonds will grow and develop in our existence.
I remember the feeling of completeness and security I had growing up with my mom, dad, grandparents, and extended family members. I always
felt like I belonged and was accepted for me. People are not perfect, sometimes in actions and words, but, knowing the unconditional love that we
are surrounded with by our families keeps us grounded in our true selves. Now that I am older, I feel the same security that I experienced while
growing up. A familiarity of comfort that brings me to a place of peace and security. My own comfort zone where I am loved, happy, cared for and
needed.
A family can be defined in many ways, but the common denominator in all is the love and fulfillment one gets by being surrounded by family
members. Families can sometimes be at odds with each other, but the strain of this type of relationship usually creates an upsetting feeling to the
people involved. People want others to rely on, talk to, do things with, share, love, embrace, and be part of. No matter what the family dynamic is the
qualities the word family has will remain the same, as time goes by, and life evolves once again for every person living their

Perfect Life And Perfect Families
Perfect Life and Perfect Families What is a perfect life or perfect family? From an outsider looking in, what does that life look like for you? Is the
pressure of comparing your family with others and realizing that you do not measure up to what you see? We all have dreams of what our ideal life
would be. Sometimes these are prompted by the "model" families that we have seen, or perhaps they are the dreams we had of what our own family
should be like. Is there such a thing as perfect families or the perfect life? In the movie Juno and American Beauty some of these families try so hard
to look picture perfect, however they are far from it. Remember that looks can be deceiving and comparison unfair. In the movie Juno, sixteen year
old Juno is the type of girl that beats to her own drum, and doesn't really care what other people think of her. Juno ends up pregnant from her
boyfriend, Paulie Bleeker. So she decides to have the baby and give the baby up for adoption. Juno finds the perfect couple to adopt her baby. She
finds Mark and Vanessa Loring, a yuppie couple living in the suburbs. Juno likes the Loring's and in some respect has found what looks to be kindred
spirits in Mark, with whom she shares a love of grunge music and horror films. Vanessa is a little more uptight and is the one in the relationship
seemingly most eager to have a baby. Juno enters a closed adoption contract with the Loring's. Throughout the film you find out just how imperfect
Mark and Vanessa

My Idea of the Ideal Family
Essay 2: My Idea of the Ideal Family
It amazes me how things change. When I was young I wanted a big family; now I feel lucky to have any family, but want everyone to be family.
The way everything in life is constantly changing, what I believed as a child, even though it may be distorted in many ways now, but the basic
concept I had of the world being a wonderful place, people getting along, being happy and good conquering evil is still very much alive. As life has
progressed and so much has changed in the world around us all, so has my idea of the ideal family and several of my thoughts of what life for my
family should be like; in hopes that someday this family will be a reality.
As a child, I thought very differently about what I wanted...show more content...
I had been married twice and divorced twice before I was twenty–three years old, so the living happily ever after being married life fail short a long
time ago. I did find out years ago, that I certainly did not need to be married to love; I did not need anything but to open my heart. Since I left
home in my teens and moved away from all of my natural family in my early twenties, I have learned that there is so much more than just one's own
natal family and being from the Bible belt, there were just too many beliefs that my birth family has that I just do not completely agree with, thus
religion left a lot to be desired for me, even though I do have a very spiritual side, which has led me to believe in loving all things.
Moreover, believing that everyone and everything is a miracle in its self and being open to any and all things being possible, has definitely had an
impact on my thinking, feelings and beliefs about the world and all I see, do not see, know and do not know being a part of this family. People,
animals, vegetation, the land, the sky, everything around are amazing; the curiosities of how things work, why things happen, how things happen,
just everything are truly astonishing and I really feel a connection with it all, which has led me to believe in this unity. I like the quote "To me every
hour of the light and dark is a miracle. Every cubic inch of space is a miracle." says Walt Whitman. I realize now what a miracle I am, along with all
my biological

Family Worldview Essay
Working in an elementary school, I have had several times when I have met someone with a different worldview than mine. For instance, I have had
students that are Jehovah's Witness. Some challenges that I have had relating to those students are centered around holidays activities and birthday
parties. One of my students was not allowed to participate in any holiday activities or birthday parties. Her parents did not celebrate holidays or
birthdays and they did not want her to participate. If we had a special Christmas program, I would have to arrange for her to go to a different
classroom. My principle would let her come help her during any special events.
It is important that, as a teacher, I have an understanding of student's family worldview

The ideal American family was transformed in the 19th century in large part due to the great changes taking place in the American society. Many
family groups fit this changing mold while some did not. In this essay I will show how this concept of the ideal American family changed. I will also
try to explain which groups of Americans followed this concept and why.
The end of the 18th century was a turbulent time in American history. The country had just won its independence from Great Britain and was
attempting to find an identity for itself. Up to this point families in America were similar to British families. The father was the head of the household,
but lived in harmony with his wife. The children were seen as part of the...show more content...
Working class families also tended to have more children thanmiddle class families because their labor was often needed to supplement that of their
parents.
These traits applied mostly to Protestant Caucasians of British descent, but some immigrants were also affected by these economic changes.
The changes that shaped this domestic family were not only economic ones. Ideological transformations always accompany drastic economic changes.
One such ideological change was the emergence of the Republican Mother. While women were discriminated against in politics as well as other forms
of self–expression, they were still needed by the state. Because of the influence that women had in their families especially in the raising of the children
the state had to convince women to be virtuous and to bring up good intelligent voters. This ideal was most likely applied only to middle class women
as they were more virtuous and did not work outside of the home. Unlike the women of the colonial period, these women were responsible for their
children and were blamed when the children were bad.
The idea that the children were born as blank slates was also a product of the new ideology of the 19th century. Religious ideals changed in the early
part of the century through Enlightenment. Children were, for the first time, being seen as innocent. In colonial time it was seen as the father's fault if
the children were bad because their

The Model Of The American Family
For as long as I can remember, the ideal family household consisted of the male/father as the bread winner, provider, and head of the household, and
female/mother, and children as members of this family. This image was embedded in us through our social class, our parents, our community, and the
social media. The families of today have drastically changed, and are more complex in the family role. As time progresses, divorce rates are at an all
time high, and single parent homes are even higher. To top it off we can't turn on the TV or computer without seeing or hearing about gay/lesbian
marriage or states legalizing same sex marriage. Over time the idea of what the model family was viewed as and the reality of what a model class
consist of now began to clash. American families are becoming numb or more excepting of the detrimental changes that I have listed above, of the
model African American family. Finances and infidelity are at the top of the list of reasons why the African American family is becoming non–existent.
The idea that the 1950s were the best time to raise children was based on the finances of the middle class, but the women back then were not respected
as an equal to their husband as they are more so today.
The African American male traditionally had the patriarchy role. He was the provider, and head of the household. That role is still ideal today, but not
always possible. Due to high divorce rates, that role changes to the African

Task 1: 'Functionalist accounts of the family underestimate the extent of conflict within families'. Discuss with reference to relevant sociological
theories and examples.
The Functionalist sociologist, Murdock (1949) defined the 'family as a social group characterised by common residence, economic co–operation and
reproduction' (Sociology In Focus p62). He claimed it must include adults of both sexes of whom maintain a socially accepted sexual relationship, and
own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults. Murdock's definition is focuses on the Nuclear family stereotypically made up of a 'two–generation
family heterosexual couples with offspring' (Moore, Chapman and Aiken p136). This definition of the family is popular...show more content...
(2004),for example, conflict between husband and wife, child abuse and male dominance etc. They also pay less attention on the harmful effects the
family may have on the wider society. Unlike the Marxists, the functionalists never consider variations in family life based on class, ethnicity, religion
and locality.
However according to Willmott and Young, the pre
–industrial family tended to be nuclear, not extended as claimed by Parsons with parents and
children working together in cottage industries such as weaving. They also argue that the hardship of these early industrial periods gave rise to the
mother centered working class extended family, based on ties between mother and their married daughters who relied on each other for financial,
practical and emotional support.
Marxists view the family in a very disparaging light and views the family as a tool of Capitalism and the Bourgeoisie. Marxists believe that the
family has many roles, which are beneficial to Capitalist society. Marxists believe that the family aids Capitalism by being a big consumer of goods,
which they have to pay for. As long as the families are around, people will keep buying the product and the bourgeoisie will continue to make money.
Marxists also believe that housewives are producing the next generation of the proletariat. This means that more people will be created to fill the jobs
of the retiring proletariat. Marxists believe that the family

The Myth of the Nuclear Family
Is the Nuclear Family the Ideal Family Structure?
People would expect that the most basic social unit, a family, has already been set up and that there is nothing that could be changed within its rules or
structure as people expect it to be clear and defined already. For humanity have been living in families for so many centuries, thus one would strongly
believe that through that time, the regulations regarding a family should have been made by now. However, as the world transforms, a family model has
transformed too, and will continue to do so in the future. Unfortunately, the changes that occur within the family make people think and look at the
family differently, and thus consider modern family values as worse and destructive. As an example those changes concernmarriage equality which
supports same sex marriage, cohabitation, or divorces. The model of family that is being transformed and have been known well so far is the model
of nuclear family. According to Geary Colombo, the author describes the nuclear family in Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical
Thinking and Writing , as family, consisting of, "Dad, Mom, a couple of kids, maybe a dog, and a spacious suburban home." Furthermore, it is known
that this model is desired by most of American middle–class families. Although most of the people would agree that the nuclear model of the family is
ideal, we need to take into consideration some of the social and economic values

Ideal Family Compared To The 1950's
The word 'family' is a unique term that has many different definitions depending on who you speak with. In today's time, compared to the 1950's, the
ideas of families has changed in several different ways. Many people wonder why and how this happened over the years. Some individuals will argue
change is a good thing, but others might say it it best to keep things as they were. Who is to say what the perfect family is anymore. Ideally, there is no
such thing as a 'perfect family'. Everyone has their own version, and many people are choosing to live their lives differently then back in the early to
late 1950's. When I was younger and I would watch television shows such as 'Leave it to Beaver' or 'The Brady Bunch' the character's mother would

What Is A Family? Essay
For most of us, the family is considered as a well–known and comfortable institution. The perfect model of the 'ideal' family is still mostly considered
to be consisted from two different sexes' parents, and one or more children. Until quite recently, the sociology of the family was mostly functionalist
and just in the last few decades has been challenged from various directions. There are many different definitions about what the family is. Different
theoretical positions influence these variations. For example, the functionalist sociologist George Peter Murdock defines the family as "a social group
characterized by common residence, economic co–operation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain...show
more content...
An early functionalist George Murdock argued that the family plays the main role in the society by performing three main functions– пЃ¶Stabilisation
of the sexual behaviour and reproduction. пЃ¶Providing the basic economic requirements. пЃ¶Serving the function of socialisation of the next
generation. G. Murdock claimed that without family serving these three functions the society would disappear. He considered these functions as
universal, although he agreed that they could develop. Talcott Parsons argues this statement, by saying, that there are two broad functions of the
family– primary socialisation and stabilisation of the adult personality 'throughout the emotional security, including sexual expression, provided by
marriage' (O'Donnell, 1997). In these days, when society is changing, the functionalistic statements lose their strength. For example, the sex outside
the marriage, in these days of easily available contraception, is no more the taboo. Margaret Mead argues Murdock's and Parsons imply that nuclear
family is biologically necessary and natural. She stated that the nuclear family is based on culture, not biology. Marxist views on the family Marxists
have very critical view of the family and society. They adopt a structural perspective, but put it in the class nature of the society. The starting point for
the most Marxist analyses of gender and the family is Friedrich Engels' (1820–1895) The Origin of the

Structural Family Therapy Ideal Family
You brought out some good points referring to the ideal family will encounter inevitable difficulties but will be able to recognize the need for change
in family structure in order to maintain appropriate balance and success (Becvar & Becvar, 2013). Regarding structural family therapy the therapist has
to enter into the family system to understand the rules that administers the functioning of the system. Then plan and obtain an understanding of the
relationship between the family members (subsystems), upset the dysfunctional relationships with the family subsystem and then cause the family to
become more stable and healthy. For example; John, his wife Wanda, and their two sons Andrew and Andre appear to be the perfect family. But
underneath

The Family Of A Family
A father and a mother provide an atmosphere in which to live, grow, and develop. The family culture is established by the parents and instilled in the
children during their upbringing. A healthy family, is a family that follows a set of strong morals, stays loyal to one another, cooperates, and works
together to avoid household differences. An environment where there is openness amongst family members is ideal because minds that are open are
more liable to preventing any anger that their adolescents might express. If these challenges get the best of a family, it has the potential to increase
hostility and create remoteness between the adolescents. If a family resolves their disagreements, it can strengthen, enforce the family relationships and
have a positive effect on the adolescents. Over the past centuries in the United States, the perfect American family was a father who worked and took
care of the finances, a mother who stayed at home taking care of the household responsibilities, children, and making sure they went to school. This was
the great family structure in the United States. Every family from low, middle, and rich class retained this family lifestyle structure. Any deviation from
this family structure was normally looked down upon and detested. However, times and social standards have changed dramatically since then. In the
book Making Marriage Work: A History of Marriage and Divorce in the Twentieth
–Century United States, the author states, "A successful

Western's Metaphor Of The Ideal Family
The metaphor of the "ideal family" allows individuals to feel connected to something that consumes majority of their life. Creating a work
environment where individuals feel as though their supported and accepted for who they are is something that has an impact on their performance
and the quality of their work. The concept of being a part of a family helps with the idea of being a team. Western talks about the idea of family also
having family type roles (140). This ties into the roles within the corporation and helps create a sense of hierarchy but, not one that is overstepping the
roles of those closer to the bottom, more so, a way of encouraging and helping achieve their best. The metaphor expands on the work experience in
ways of production

How can a definition be given to a phrase that has a different meaning for everyone? When someone thinks of what a perfect family is, chances are it
looks like a mother, father, and kids all living together. This ideal scenario is not always the case for everyone. There are many circumstances that
people are placed in, which would limit them from being able to fit in this stereotypical connotation. A perfectfamily is normally defined as a group
with two parents and their kids, but for anyone who has grown up missing a parent it is a parent or parents and their kids.
If you were to ask someone what they thought of when hearing the phrase "perfect family" it would most likely be a pretty basic surface level
answer quite close to the definition found in an Oxford dictionary: "a group consisting of two parents and their children living together as a unit".
At a quick glance, someone may not give any thought about the word "two" strategically placed before "parents". This inferring that everyone has
two parents and fits under the same category. But I want to raise the question what if someone only has one parent? That takes a very large
population of the Earth and limits a small portion of them out because of the lack of two parents. For a long time, a traditional family and perfect
family have had a very close if not identical definition. Although it is a small percentage of the population, many families are only one parent with
kids. That is why for me the definition of a

Family As A Social Institution Of People
We all raised to believe that from the best thing that one can have is an ideal family and growing up we all wanted to be raised in a peaceful,
happy and secure family with loving parents who will be there for us no matter what physically and mentally able to provide for the family where we
will be always welcomed by our parents and siblings alike and heard and respected all the time. Sociologist define the family as an intimate, domestic
and primary group, a social institution of people related to one another by blood or adoption with legal ties, it have three important social functions:
to provide and raise children, to provide a sense of identity, belonging and a set of close and strong relations among its members and to transmit
culture between generations. In the modern societies, we prefer to think of a family as constructed of a mother, father, and children living under one
roof called a nuclear family , when it consist of several generations living together or close by it's called extended family.
As we grow up also we can notice how much we are far from the ideal family, I lived with two sisters from different fathers my mother went through
three marriages she also raised as for a long period as single mother we had some really hard times where my mom could barely support us financially
and mentally because she had to work for more and more hours so I had to raise my younger sister instead in a very young age this was bad for me as I
did not have a normal childhood

My Personal Philosophy Of Family Essay
Family has assumed a key part in molding me into the individual I am today. However, as I have matured, I have developed my own standards in
view of my comprehension of the world. My family 's qualities are anchored firmly on religion and we attempt to live the values that the Bible lays
out. Growing up, my family instilled Christian qualities into me and these qualities are imbued in my memory and I attempt to practice them
despite the fact that I don 't generally succeed. As of now, I am driven by aspiration and yearning to be at peace with myself. I have certain
objectives I need to accomplish and my qualities and morals have advanced to incorporate them while attempting to keep up those morals I learned
when I was young. There since have been occurrences whereby I have gotten in difficulties and I need to settle on what I know to be right and what
serves my self–interest. I can 't assert that I generally make the best choices. Yet, I pride myself on being principled. Usually, I adhere to a specific
way on the off chance that I feel that it is right with my beliefs. My struggle with is with the whisper in my ear attempting to occupy me from my
previously chosen way, however I am persistent, resolute, and take after what I have confidence in to be right to me. I rarely make serious ethical
violations but I will not hesitate to own my actions. My perspective of morals is clear in that it is as simple as right and wrong. Individuals frequently
live in the hazy area

The Ideal American Family Analysis

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The Ideal American Family Analysis