Long has the image of the traditional American family been stamped into our minds. The image of a perfect family has been a staple for popular television shows and commercials hawking everything from luncheon meat to microwaveable TV dinners. It is a far reaching concept known by almost anyone living in the country, all over the world and people considering immigrating to the US. It is a fabricated dream, which does not truly exist. It is merely a false goal, striving to achieve this standard, and the aesthetic of the lifestyle is one which has been heavily marketed and changes frequently with the times. Sports utility vehicles, pristine lawns, massive backyards and home security systems are marketed as necessities for the modern American family.
Traditionally, the ideal American family subsists of a working father, a housewife, two or more children, and a pet. The son is in little league or is the captain of the team, the daughter is a beauty queen and the pet is a golden retriever. The house is usually located in a suburb or small town, and has a two car garage. They are generally on good terms with their neighbors.
Often the family as a whole encompasses “wholesome American ideals” such as supporting the Republican party, supporting military action, and attending church regularly. Economically, the family is well off and can afford the families needs and much more. The archetypal American family is usually white, and only recently has the presentation expanded to showing multiple ethnicities and economic situations. In reality, American families come from different countries, different economic backgrounds, embrace different ideals concerning government, morality and life. The scope of a real American family is not limited to the experiences of the rich Caucasian family. A set of circumstances contrary to the American dream is that of the family in I Stand Here Ironing.
Essay on American Ideals
For every American, there is an endless array of different factors, often spanning over decades and centuries, which have each uniquely contributed to how he or she has ended up living in America. The stories that account for how each American has ended up in America are filled with a vast diversity of different events and people, but nearly all of these stories involve the common aspect- the ...
Their situation on many levels is the opposite of the “ideal” American family. The story is about a young mother who’s husband leaves her, saying he could no longer bear sharing want with them. So initially, she and her daughter are in a bad position. As a single mother during the era of the Depression, work was hard to come by. She often had to leave her young child with neighbors while she was out looking for a job. Her opportunities were limited with her being an unwed, young mother.
So when she found work, she was forced to give care of her daughter to the father’s family and later on was placed into a care facility with questionable conditions. As a result, the daughter suffered in her formative years. She didn’t have the money to hire a nanny or a husband to support her while she stayed to take care of the baby. Aside from being sickly, her relationship with her mother suffered. At times she was emotionally detached from her mother and her capacity for learning was somewhat hindered. This situation illustrates a non typical family compared to the standard American family.
A girl growing up in the traditional American family would be in a comfortable situation. During her early months her parents could pay for child care that is not sub standard like that which Emily attended. Typically, her budding relationship between mother and child would not be severed or disrupted by the circumstances created by other factors such as the mother leaving her child while she was working. The child would be close to her mother emulating from her and learning from her. Her mother and father are financially well off, so if the daughter shows any signs of psychological trouble they can choose to send her to a therapist. For Emily, the daughter in I Stand Here Ironing, she was mired in despair, forced to live away from home with her father’s relatives, stuck living in a repressive boarding house, all the while her health was suffering.
The Term Paper on Working Mother Family Children Time
... families where the mother worked the sons and daughters have a sense that all chores are equal game for all children of the house ... home life influence the parenting strategies which, in turn, have significance for child outcomes. But comparing the children of employed mothers and ... leave their homes to experience a different facet of their life. She also introduces the changes in the father's role ...
She became sickly as her appetite was gone for long periods of time, particularly during her stay in the boarding house. Later on in her life she had constant nightmares probably due to the trauma she experienced throughout her life. The stress these situations put on Emily’s mother is incomprehensible, but the love between Emily and her mother, although strained, was always there. The House on Mango Street takes the account of a working-class family and delves into the various aspects of their day to day lives. Although this is an excerpt, it is a very telling one. The narrative ranges in scope from describing little details like the number of trees on the block all the way to the mother talking about what could ” ve been.
The narration is from the point of view of Esperanza, one of four children. The family moves around on multiple instances, the most recent, the house on Mango Street. They moved to that house because their other house had maintenance problems. They had faulty pipes and had to go to a neighbors house just to get water. Constantly the family talks about getting a real house. The mother tells stories about their dream house to the kids at bedtime.
She talks about houses like the ones on TV, and that very house is the basis of their hopes and dreams. Their previous apartments and flats they lived in were more decrepit than the new house. Its almost like they were upgrading slowly, but it seems to be out of their reach. It is also sad to find out that Esperanza’s ideal house are the type of houses that her father is employed working in their gardens.
The parent’s jobs can’t guarantee economic stability. Economic support however doesn’t account for the whole of the family’s well being. Though Esperanza had trouble and anxiety during her school days because of their economic woes, she still had the support of her family… The house itself is a character in the story, because it plays such a significant role in the lives of the family.
The Essay on Television Depiction Of Family Life
Over the past 50 years, the traditional structure of the family has evolved tremendously. The role of each member has changed in many ways. This creates an entirely different chemistry within the family. In the 1950s, the traditional family was composed of a father, mother, and the children that they created within the marriage. The father was usually the disciplinarian and financial provider for ...
Each member of the family seems to have an unspoken relationship with the house in one way or another. Esperanza personified the house in Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes. The house on Mango to her is a character in the story of her life. It seems that they are like reluctant roommates who don’t really like each other but share an underlying love and attachment towards one another. This relationship stems from her anxiety, because it is evident that her house and her economic situation is heavy on her mind. It seems like she is always uncomfortable and she feels the need to justify, internally the way she thinks about it.
On the contrary, the traditional American child has their mind on the material possessions they have, and the material possessions they want. They can rest their worries on staying on top of the latest trends. Chasing the elusive ideals of the ever-changing traditional American family proves to be one that is full of consequences. Trying to meet the basic, essential needs of raising a family are becoming increasingly difficult in these trying times. What we do not need as a nation is the pressure to meet these ideals through consumerism and material gain. Brand name appliances, clothing and cars are not necessities for successfully raising a family.
However, the pressure on the people is difficult to escape. TVs are blasting, budgets for advertising and marketing increase. No one is safe from this, every one is divided into a demographic. This culture of consumerism exploits everyone, and funnels money mostly towards the richest of the rich. The gap between the rich and the poor is ever increasing. Life is hard enough as it is, so we must not allow ourselves to be misled on how we should live our lives..
